THE National Archives of Guyana (NAG) collaborated last Friday with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to launch its digitization project to modernize the archives and provide its records in a digital format.

The first phase of this project has seen, through a $5.2M grant from UNESCO, purchase of digitization equipment to be used to digitize or micro-film fragile archival materials that are in danger of deteriorating or being destroyed.
Speaking at the launch of this project, held at the National Archives on Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown, Culture Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said that while in the past the records of the National Archives had been mistreated, there has now been a new awakening and understanding of the importance of appropriately treating the records.
He said the building which currently houses the NAG is much more environmentally friendly for the records, as opposed to the previous buildings in which they were housed; and he acknowledged that with regard to conservation of the archive’s records, much work still needs to be done.
He said that, for quite some time, the Culture Ministry had been working to ensure that the paper records are not only properly stored, but digitized, thereby allowing access to those records in digitized format.
Dr. Anthony noted that when the Culture Ministry started the digitization project, it knew the project was going to cost a lot of money and that the annual budget was not sufficient to cater for the kinds of equipment needed. Accordingly, the ministry approached UNESCO, which recognised that acquisition of the needed equipment was important and extended a grant which has been of tremendous help.
Dr Anthony pointed out that the project has been conceptualized in various phases, each one of which requires a tremendous amount of work; but once completed, it would be a leap forward for archiving in Guyana.
He further explained that the ministry has the materials, and now needs to scan those materials and put them in a digital format, store them, and then make them accessible to persons.
Currently, according to Dr Anthony, a company is designing the platform for the database, but it needs to speed up the input because there are lots of records to be entered, which process takes a lot of time.
Dr. Anthony informed that the ministry wants to eventually make this service available online on the website of the NAG, so that persons would be able to see the holdings of the National Archives in the comfort of their own homes.
He noted that the ministry ideally wants persons to be able to see the image of the records, and not necessarily be able to download the records but they can make a request to the archives for a copy of the record, perhaps at the cost of a small transaction fee.
Dr. Anthony indicated that this is currently happening in archives around the world, and it is how money is raised to help with their operations.
He stated that, as a small developing country, Guyana also has to find ways and means to finance, enhance, and modernize the archives.
“They are very pleased”, he said, “to be working with the various partners on this project, who are helping them in this endeavour, and have been working with them closely, enabling them to get nearer to the completion of the project.
Dr. Anthony expressed hope that with that kind of partnership they will be able to move the archive into the modern era, and added that persons can expect a lot of great things from the NAG.
He thanked UNESCO for their partnership on this project, and said that they look forward to many more partnerships to further enhance the preservation of the Guyanese culture.
Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony also noted that they recognise that the audio archives which are in various institutions around Guyana have not had a lot of attention.
He stated that the next step is to bring a lot of that material, which he described as a national asset, into the NAG to be examined, and work on developing a section of the archives to be an audio archive.
According to him, they have also engaged the University of Ohio in this regard, and they have been mapping all the audio materials, bringing them closer to getting a complete database of where the materials are located and their nature.
Dr. Anthony added that later on, they will also be looking at archiving film and video materials.
Also speaking at the launch, acting Archivist, Ms. Nadia Gamel-Carter said that the equipment to be used for the digitization of archival material was purchased from ICAM archive systems, which also provided installation and training.
She said the equipment purchased would enable the NAG to make copies of existing documents, afford researchers wider access to records, and ensure the survival of fragile documents in another format, as well as making them accessible in digital format on a web portal.
Phase two of the digitization project will deal with the digitization of fragile documents, beginning with Indian immigration, the most researched area, Phase three will focus on development of an information technology project with database of information; and Phase four would provide public access to digitized information.
She pointed out that the Government of Guyana provided matching funds to the tune of $5M, which was allocated to the NAG in its 2012 capital projects, and for equipment and other implements necessary, not limited to hiring of staff needed to coordinate the project through implementation, monitoring and provision of the final report at end of project date.
Also present and making remarks at the launch were Mr. Adam Wright from ICAM; Secretary General of UNESCO, Ms. Inge Nathoo; and High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Puran Mal Meena.