CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FACING THE DIGITIZATION OF HISTORICAL RECORDS FOR THEIR PRESERVATION WITHIN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ZIMBABWE

The National Archives of Zimbabwe Act (1986) has declared that historical records in particular must be protected against any destruction, defacing, alteration, mutilation or damage. Despite this, the pace at which digitization has been implemented by the National Archives of Zimbabwe and other memory institutions to ensure the protection and preservation of historical records and other valuable information materials, has been slack and ad-hoc. This paper will present and discuss the circumstances and challenges facing the country’s National Archiving institution in embarking on digitization efforts to preserve selected public and private historical records and archives-generated public registries, memory institutions and other information centres in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTATIONS

Second International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives, abstracts of presentation

Challenges and Prospects Facing the Digitisation of Historical Records for their Preservation within the National Archives of Zimbabwe

The National Archives of Zimbabwe Act (1986) has declared that historical records in particular must be protected against any destruction, defacing, alteration, mutilation or damage. Despite this, the pace at which digitisation has been implemented by the National Archives of Zimbabwe and other memory institutions to ensure the protection and preservation of historical records and other valuable information materials, has been slag and ad-hoc. This paper will present and discuss the circumstances and challenges facing the country’s National Archiving institution to embark on digitisation efforts to preserve selected public and private historical records and archives generated public registries, memory institutions and other information centres in Zimbabwe. Keywords: Zimbabwe, National Archives of Zimbabwe, digitisation, historical records, digital preservatio

CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FACING THE DIGITIZATION OF HISTORICAL RECORDS FOR THEIR PRESERVATION WITHIN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ZIMBABWE PPT

The National Archives of Zimbabwe Act (1986) has declared that historical records in particular must be protected against any destruction, defacing, alteration, mutilation or damage. Despite this, the pace at which digitization has been implemented by the National Archives of Zimbabwe and other memory institutions to ensure the protection and preservation of historical records and other valuable information materials, has been slack and ad-hoc. This paper will present and discuss the circumstances and challenges facing the country’s National Archiving institution in embarking on digitization efforts to preserve selected public and private historical records and archives-generated public registries, memory institutions and other information centres in Zimbabwe

Management of email as electronic records in state universities in Zimbabwe: findings and implications for the National Archives of Zimbabwe

The administrative functions of state universities in Zimbabwe rely on and actively use email communication in their official business. These business emails have significant transactional, reference and decision making value which merits the need for their capture, retention and management as electronic records. Any efforts by state universities to manage emails as electronic records, more so as public records, will require the supervisorial guidance of the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ) as stipulated within the National Archives of Zimbabwe Act of 1986. This paper presents selected findings from a Master of Philosophy study that surveyed six state universities in Zimbabwe in order to establish the state of management of emails as electronic records. The findings revealed indiscriminate strategies among officials in the separation of emails between records and non-records, the ineffective dependence on other institutional policies and reference to fringe legislation for the electronic recordkeeping of emails and the absence of recordkeeping professionals in email management responsibilities due to their limited ICT training and qualifications. These succinct findings render any recordkeeping interventions and long-term preservation strategies ineffective for the management of the emails as electronic records in the state universities. The paper proceeds to recommend a three-tier framework that will position the NAZ to collaborate with state universities in the development and implementation of email policies, establishment of statutory guidance and procedures for electronic records and professional training and capacities development of staff and the design or improvement of email management and email archiving systems.