ICADLA-1: Connecting Africans to their Own Resources: Developing Policies and Strategies for Africa’s Digital Future, 1-3 July 2009, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Monica Morrison, HOORC, July 2009

Digitization Strategies for Legacy Resources in Africa: Incremental or Collection Based Approaches? Experience from the University of Botswana

Digitization in the African context

Collection approach• Large, undigitized legacy

document collections• Selection of interesting

collection subsets• Complete digitization of

subset, in context• Higher discovery value• More attractive to funders• More political issues

Incremental approach• Large, undigitized legacy

document collections• Demand for single

documents• Scanning and linking to

catalogue in lieu of ILL• Loss of context• Lower discovery value• Fewer political issues

HOORC and its community

• Research focused, but

• Functional role in development process• Explanation and interpretation a priority• Library a focal point for outreach through

ODMP• BIOKAVANGO Project

HOORC’s Library

• Founded through donation of a special collection

• Part of UB Libraries network• “Satellite” Botswana Collection materials• Growth and success a stimulus for further

donations• Support for both academic research and

community learning

Development of digitization strategies

• Demand for Botswana documents• Development of UB Main Campus

archives team• Increasing pressure to house, preserve

and provide access to unique local collections at HOORC

The incremental approach

• ILL: 2005 Main Campus-HOORC agreement to scan and link instead of sending hard copy

• Slow but sure – now 500 digital versions of Botswana documents

• Technical issues limited HOORC’s involvement

• Every document represents a request or inquiry

The collection approach

• Recognition of, and demand for, content of legacy collections

• Organization of legacy materials with help from Main Campus

• BIOKAVANGO mandate for knowledge management

• Manageable subsets for beginners

Digitization work

• Selection of collection and materials• Creating the team: a multi-organization

partnership• Figuring it out: equipment and technical

processes• Working to deadlines• Engaging the community

What we learned

• Both approaches need to be based on user needs / interest

• Incremental approach easy, useful and a practical must-do

• Collection-based approach challenging but with higher rewards: capacity building, profile, opportunities for partnerships, community engagement and support

Political implications

• “Local” content?• Codified vs. uncodified• Who should select?• Return on investment: capacity, assets,

goodwill

Dr Casper Bonyongo and Pete Smith in the field, Okavango Delta, 1990s

Thanks to BIOKAVANGO Project and the University of Botswana Library Services

Monica Morrisonmmorrison@orc.ub.bwhttp://lib.orc.ub.bwhttp://flowhoorc.bogspot.com