Indigenous knowledge in a virtual context: Sustainable digital preservation. A literature review

Abstract

The basis of this paper stems from the second African Library Summit, held in 2013. At that event Professor Lawton Hikwa of the National University of Science and Technology of Zimbabwe (NUST) and the author co-facilitated a workshop on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and digitisation. From discussions at this workshop the following question was posed:  Are there long-term sustainable African digital preservation plans or policies in place to have these heritage materials still available and accessible in the far foreseeable future? To discuss this question, a brief overview of the concept of digital preservation and the challenges of digital preservation is needed.