Review of digital record management needs for academic libraries

Published date26 February 2020
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-11-2019-0083
Pages21-22
Date26 February 2020
AuthorMd. Habibur Rahman
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Library & information services
Review of digital record management needs for
academic libraries
Md. Habibur Rahman
Introduction
According to O
¨zdemir, (2019)
archives are legally charged with
preserving the national memory through
the transfer of records that are now,
almost always, created in a digital
environment. With the advancement of
digital records and the growing
complexity of information systems, the
ability to shape the formation, processing
and preservation of digital records to
serve the aims of forming, preserving and
making accessible trustworthy records is
likelytodependonapplyingadeeperand
more integrated blend of archival
theory, principles and methods with
computational theory, principles and
methods (Marciano et al., 2018). At
present, records are produced in a digital
form but are not produced following
unified standards. The preservation of
electronic records created by knowledge
workers is of great risk if standards for the
creation, management and preservation of
electronic records are not available in the
organization (Millar, 2004;Chigariro and
Khumalo, 2018). So, it is essential for the
proper management of digital archival
records for getting the maximum impact
of digital records on the users.
Digital records are created,
communicated and maintained by means
of computer technology and they may be
“born digital”, created using computer
technology, or they may have been
converted into digital form from their
original format, e.g. scans of paper
documents. According to Nyampong
(2015), “digital or e-records may be as
text files (files produced by word
processing programs or by other
software); data files (computer
processable files that store numeric and
sometimes textual information as
quantitative values so that, numbers can
be manipulated using arithmetic
processes); analogue audio and visual
records (sound documents and images to
be played back); disaggregated data
(information collected through remote
sensing systems); databases (structured
collection of interrelated data); machine
instruction sets (records created by the
action of intelligent machines); image
files (records containing computer
processable images that generally exist as
hard copy before being converted into
images) and digital documents (files
consisting of numeric data, images or
sound recorded digitally in one uniform
structure)” (National Archives of
Australia, 2014;Ambira et al., 2019).
Digital record preservation
Historically, “There are modern
formats of records, for example, micro-
graphics in the form of microfilm,
microfiche and photographic film, video,
audiocassettes, films, and electronic or
digital media” (Molepo and Cloete, 2017;
Motsi, 2004). According to Asogwa
(2012), computer-based information
systems and the internet are
revolutionizing the ways business is
carried out and the manner in which
electronic record and archives are created,
managed and accessed. According to
Maroye et al. (2017), paper-based and
electronic-based records still coexist, and
this coexistence is sometimes mandatory.
Fritz (2018) revealed that with the growth
of digitized and born-digital collections,
librarians and archivists face several
decades of change as they navigate
analog and digital landscapes. According
to Chigariro and Khumalo (2018), stated
that if the governments invest without
strategies in e-records management
system in this complex environment that
will fail to meet the reasons for which
they were created for. Consequently,
these the records will be managed by both
archives’ management personnel as well
as national archival institutions will deal
with such records haphazardly and
clumsily.
The obsolescence of digital record
management technologies
The obsolescence of technology is one
of the most remarkable hindrances in the
preservation of digital records. Johnson
et al. (2014) revealed, “our common
perception of the threats to digital records
is centered around two widely reported
issues, namely, format obsolescence and
data loss.” Chigariro and Khumalo (2018)
stated that technology is dynamic and
ever-changing, and thus, research trends
can show whether researchers and
scholars are investigating pertinent issues
that are in line with developments in
technology. According to Fritz (2018),as
technological changes continue to impact
not only the manner of the use of archives
but also the nature of collections;
archivists must preserve and provide
access to a broad universe of print and
digital source material. Helfert et al.
(2017) stated, “technological
obsolescence is an issue that challenges
the ability to preserve electronic
information.” According to Yadav
(2016), “there are two main reasons that
are responsible for the fragility of digital
records, one is technological
obsolescence in which software programs
and other technologies can be superseded
by a newer one and consequently old
technologies and software become out of
use and another is media degradation”.
Suitable rules, legislation and
infrastructure are needed for managing
digital record management effectively
and efficiently. According to Ambira
et al. (2019), lack of a clear framework
for managing electronic records poses a
major risk to the sustainability, stability
and quality of services offered
through the e-government platforms.
Management of electronic archives and
records in organizations may not succeed
if the established policies and
infrastructures are not supported by
qualified and experienced records and
archives personnel, and the existence of
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 3 2020, pp. 21-22, V
CEmerald Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-11-2019-0083 21

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT