Challenges of Digital Preservation in Africa

Abstract

This is an exploratory study of the challenges facing digital preservation in Africa. The study reviewed several literature on digital preservation in Africa. The study concluded that Archives and libraries must contend with entirely new forms of electronically-enabled discourse and new forms of artistic and cultural expression that do not have predecessors in the analogue world. Equally, no current preservation method is adequate for preserving dynamic data objects from complex systems stating that there are no established conceptual models or technical processes for preserving multi-media works, interactive hyper-media, on-line dialogues, or many of the new electronic forms being created today. The archival requirements to preserve content, context, and structure and to maintain the capability to display, link, and manipulate digital objects only heighten their software dependency