The Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) is busy with the digital preservation of Madiba archive materials, a project run by Tenille Hands, professional curator and member of Australian Volunteers for International Development.
Tenille Hands
The development programme is implemented by Australian Volunteers International (AVI), a group the Foundation partnered with in 2014 to create a volunteer assignment with key sustainable objectives that would enhance the Foundation’s Centre of Memory.
Tenille asserts it is important to recognise that many materials, no matter their original intention of being ephemeral or impermanent documents, are in themselves significant historical records. By making sure these are digitised, the Foundation is not only ensuring the preservation of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory’s collection for many years to come, but its ability to share it with the world.
“When I first saw the advertised recruitment through AVI, I knew immediately it was something I was interested in taking on. I wanted to utilise the skills I have gained from over 13 years working in archives and museums to be able to make a contribution,” says Tenille, who left her position as curator in Film, Documents and Artefacts at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia to travel to South Africa.
Before coming to the country, Tenille took some time to look into the Centre of Memory’s incredible collection, how it is being cared for and how it is being shared with the public.
“Very early on in my research and correspondence, the passion and commitment all the NMF staff demonstrate daily became clearly evident, in both protecting and sharing Madiba’s legacy.
“From that point on, I took leave from my curator role in Film, Documents and Artefacts at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia – my partner and I packed our bags and here we are.”
Tenille is the primary resource person for digitisation, ensuring that all archival holdings are digitised and managed professionally on an integrated digital platform.
In order to do this, documents and additional materials are assessed for their stability and fragility and are then scanned or photographed by set methods, in consistent formats and to the highest preservation standards.
The digitised content (including scanned documents, still images, and video and audio files) and its metadata is then secured, documented and delivered to digital archival storage.
“One month in, I feel very privileged as my colleagues in the Archive and Research team, not to mention the entire NMF team, generously take their time in sharing their dedication and knowledge every day.”
Tenille’s digitisation project will last until February 2016.