Preservation Needs Symposium and Workshop

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UKZN hosted a two-day Preservation Needs Symposium and Workshop at the E.G. Malherbe Library Conference Room on the Howard College campus recently.

Mrs Nellie Somers, Campbell Collections Head and programme director, shared her excitement and delight for the resumption of the symposium since its hiatus following the outbreak of COVID-19.

Mr Alexio Motsi, Head of Preservation Management Services at the National Archives and Records Services of South Africa (NARSSA) spoke about the disruption caused by the national lockdown to preservation attempts as well as workshops and trainings. Unpacking his topic: Preservation Needs Assessment, he spoke about ways of ensuring proper care of archive and library materials; also stressing their importance and digitalisation. ‘Whatever form archives are received in they must be preserved in their original format,’ he said.

Ms Minenhle Jali, UKZN Law Library Information Officer, spoke about collections care, the associated challenges, as well as her experience in this area. ‘Temperature is key in library preservation. Preservation management should be constantly practiced by all information storing agencies,’ she said.

Mr Nazim Gani, Head of Alan Paton Centre at UKZN touched on disaster response as well as infestation in collection studios as a part of collections care and its challenges, after which he made way for Mr Theophile Denys de Bonnaventure, Manager of Memorist SA, who focused on conservation and the digitalisation of heritage collections as well as the best practices for the conservation and digitisation of paper-based heritage collections.

Asked about her opinion on the importance of preserving historical specimens and archives for future generations while also maintaining South African history, Bergtheil Museum’s Ms Palesa Dlamini said: ‘History makes us understand and conceptualise the present. This is why it’s crucial to preserve our artifacts, specimens and archives so that this information is readily available.’

Mrs Mary Minicka, Head of Preservation at Western Cape Archives and Records Service, focused on library disaster management, stressing that disasters can be anticipated and planned for.

Dr Rakesh Goordeen, UKZN Occupational Medicine Consultant, said ‘occupational health is the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical and mental wellbeing of human beings,’ adding: ‘COVID-19 brought back the importance of ventilators which is the most critical aspect of pest control.’

Somers then introduced the next speaker Mrs Margarida Fernandes, Preservation Officer Fine Arts and Heritage Stuttaford Van Lines, who covered the topic of collections care, handling, transportation and digitisation of archives while also sharing her experience in setting up in house digitisation workshops.

Dr Isabelle McGinn, lecturer and Objects Conservator at the University of Pretoria, focused on collection care as an integral part of heritage practice, saying: ‘There are several documents which assist a museum in controlling the care of its collections to promote their longevity.’

Dr Christina Potgieter Curry, Principle Technician and Collections Manager of the Bews Herbarium at the UKZN School of Life Sciences shared her experience on integrated pest management, urging attendees to practice good housekeeping and building maintenance.

Delivering her vote of thanks, Dr Roshini Pather, Portfolio Head: Information Systems, said no programme can be successful without team effort, thanking organisers and attendees for making the symposium a success.

Words: Langelihle Mathe

Photograph: Hlengiwe Khwela