Conference Agenda

In the past two years, the Government of Makueni County has carried out a digitization

project. This has involved most of the oldest records such as the one inherited from the

defunct local authorities before devolution in Kenya in 2013. This project has resulted in

the digitization of close to 250,000 pages of historical records.

In today’s digital age, users of records and archival resources increasingly prefer instant

access to information. This has necessitated the need to convert the analogue paper

records into digital format for ease of access, while at the same time preserving the

originals from deterioration for posterity.

In the past two years, the Government of Makueni County has carried out a digitization

project. This has involved most of the oldest records such as the one inherited from the

defunct local authorities before devolution in Kenya in 2013. This project has resulted in

the digitization of close to 250,000 pages of historical records.

This presentation examines the digitization of records in the county government and

its role in transforming administration, transparency, and service delivery. The

presentation examines the challenges and achievements in the digitization process

such as the selection of records, infrastructure development, and staff capacity

development. Critical considerations of data security, adherence to legal and regulatory

frameworks, and long-term digital preservation will be emphasized. The presentation

also demonstrates how digitization enhances not just operating efficiency but also

facilitates proper memory management to maintain the County’s historic records

available and trustworthy.

The National Archives of Nigeria, preserves the nation's documentary heritage under the National Archives Act of 1992. With six zonal offices, including Kaduna, it safeguards records dating back to the 12th century. Kaduna's archives hold Arabic manuscripts, government records, and historical documents, contributing to regional and national pride. This study highlights the benefits of restoring neglected collections, including long-term preservation, wider access, and increased resources.

The process of restoring at-risk archival collections involves identifying, stabilizing and repairing deteriorated target collection to ensure their long term preservation and usability. The intervention technique prevents further deterioration of record materials and makes collections accessible for future generations. The study examines the restoration efforts applied to address the threats faced by target collections in the Kaduna Archives Repository, Nigeria. The objective of the study was to evaluate how preservation reduced risks to these precious collections of historical materials, safeguarding the cultural heritage and identity of the people for future generations. Additionally, the study highlights how restoration activities contribute to institutional growth by enhancing the knowledge base and improving access to critical archival resources. The experiential narrative examines the techniques employed, challenges encountered and the collaborative efforts of stakeholders in the restoration process. By providing insight into the practical aspects of restoring endangered archives, this study underscores the importance of proactive measures in ensuring that history remains an accessible and enduring resource for scholars, researchers, and the wider community. The outcomes of this restoration process which include; the availability and usability of these collections for reference and research purposes, improved condition of heritage materials guaranteeing their long-term accessibility and relevance, wider access to knowledge resources; and increase in available information assets in the holdings of the Repository, holds significant value for diverse stakeholders, including researchers, educators, policy makers etc. Additionally, the enriched repository, with its expanded volume of information assets supports scholarly research, institutional development, and informed decision making for heritage management.

More than 3000 record materials comprising files, manuscripts, maps and publications which would have been lost to neglect, environment and climatic threats were restored in this activity. And these collections represent the history and identity of the people, which if lost will distort the narrative of the entire locality, region and nation.

This is the story of how Norway’s government ministries and the country’s National Archives are joining forces from one end of the records life cycle to the other, from the people who have created the records to the people who will preserve them, developing new forms of collaboration along the way. And all due to the construction of the new government quarter in Oslo, Norway, a much-welcomed push for all parties involved.

The Norwegian government is building a new office quarter after the terrorist bomb attack destroyed many of the buildings in 2011. Nearly every ministry will be located in the new quarter, with the first building ready in 2026. The ministries’ records have been digital for more than a decade, so there will be no storage space for paper records in the new buildings. Still, the ministries are sitting on roughly 15 000 linear meters of paper records, which must find a new home when the government workforce moves into the new buildings.

The National Archives and the information management teams at the various ministries have worked out a strategy for handling these paper records. Due to time and resource limitations, the agreed-upon solution is to combine forces, with the ministries and the National Archives collaborating on Norway’s largest transfer of records ever.

The project is based on the mutual understanding that collaboration between a record creator and an archival repository is essential to ensure that archives are preserved and accessible, in compliance with laws and regulations.

The first step is to establish clear agreements on the distribution of responsibilities in the record transfer process. The director general of each ministry’s Administrative Division is responsible for negotiating such an agreement with the National Archives.

One of the first ministries to move out of their current space is The Ministry of Finance. With an estimated 2000 linear meters of valuable historical records, some of which are still in use, the ministry has been a key player in the project’s initiation.

Understanding the record transfer process to be too large and complex for the Information Management Section’s regular staff to take on in addition to their day-to-day responsibilities, Section and Division leadership has chosen to treat this work as a separate project and has hired accordingly, with critical support from the Ministry’s administrative director. First brought on was a government information manager with long experience leading such work, who then staffed the project with several newly-trained historians, all with experience with paper archives, as well as a logistics expert. A librarian will soon join the project, as will three longtime administrative employees of the Ministry with significant institutional knowledge, and there is discussion of hiring additional staff as the project’s needs become clearer. In building a project team, the guiding principle has been that the Ministry should hire new staff with the diverse skill set that such a complex endeavor requires, while drawing on internal resources when possible.

The project will continue throughout the construction and moving period, lasting beyond 2030. We will probably run into hurdles along the way, but we expect to gain more. The combining of knowledge and resources in pursuit of a common goal provides many valuable opportunities and the potential for improvement in Norwegian state record preservation practices, from the beginning to the end of the record life cycle.