In 2022 Africa Media Online had the privilege of becoming the second African member of the NDSA after the University of Cape Town. The National Digital Stewardship Alliance is an international body concerned with the advocacy, expertise and support for the preservation of digital heritage. Membership of this prestigious body was conferred on Africa Media Online on September 30, 2022 and announced on their website a few days later.
Digital preservation is not just about the technical side of running servers and backup systems for digital files, but also about the entire ecosystem and legal and institutional framework to ensure digital persistence over the long-term. PHOTO: David Larsen / african.pictures
Africa Media Online’s Production Manager, Deon Schutte is Coordinating Committee member and Co-chair of the NDSA’s Content Interest Group and Founder and Director of Africa Media Online, David Larsen, has involved himself in the Infrastructure and Standards and Practices interest Groups. The NDSA hosts an international conference every year called Digital Preservation. DigiPres 2023 will be held in St Louis, Missouri in November
What the NDSA does for us is keep us aligned with an international community on the leading edge of thinking about long-term digital preservation. That is not an easy challenge to solve, but many institutions across the globe are working on best practices in this area. It is a privilege to participate in the journey.