Call for papers--Preserving library and archival materials in Africa

Call For Papers:
Preserving Library and Archival Materials in Africa:
Opportunities and Challenges
University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg
South Africa.
December 2002

Call for Posters: In addition to formal papers, submissions for
posters are also welcome.

The KwaZulu Natal Branch of the Society of South African Archivists
in collaboration with the Information Studies Programme, School of
Human and Social Studies, University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg),
December 10-13, 2002, University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South
Africa.

Themes: Archivists and librarians recognize that humankind's
documentary heritage is recorded on materials that are subject to
the ravages of unstable environments, biological factors, careless
handling, natural and human-made disasters, inferior paper,
impermanent and acidic inks, and technological obsolescence.
Preservation, as a collection management strategy is key to
long-term access to these materials. Their enduring accessibility
into the future is far from assured. In order to maintain
collections in usable form archivists and librarians in Africa must
be knowledgeable in order to be able to deal with the preservation
challenges that they are facing.

Contributions are invited that address issues related to the
preservation of documentary materials. Themes that may be addressed
are wide and open, but an advanced academic level of discourse is
required. Inter alia the following broad themes will be addressed at
the conference:

    *   the nature of documentary materials and the challenges to
        preserving them

    *   monitoring programs for conservation environments in
        libraries and archives

    *   integrated pest management programme

    *   preservation standards used in various heritage sectors

    *   long-term preservation of digital information

    *   reformatting strategies used in the management of
        documentary materials;

    *   Policy issues in the preservation of documents

    *   disaster preparedness plans and preservation planning

    *   partnerships and cooperation in preservation and
        conservation activities.

Submissions should include the speaker's name, address, e-mail
address, telephone and Fax: numbers, a short one-paragraph
biographical note, the title of the presentation or poster, and an
abstract of 400 to 500 words.

Timeline:

    Submissions of abstracts: July 30, 2002
    Send to

        Patrick Ngulube
        Fax: +27 33 260 5092
        ngulubep [at] nu__ac__za

        August 4, 2002: Notification of acceptance or rejection of
        the submitted abstract.

        November 7, 2002: Final camera-ready copy of the paper.

Patrick Ngulube
University of Natal(PMB)
School of Human and Social Studies
Department of Information Studies
Private Bag X01
Scottsville, 3209
Pietermaritzburg
+27 33 260 5972
Cell: +27 83420 6440
Fax: +27 331 260 5092


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:77
                  Distributed: Thursday, May 16, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-77-011
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