1. Digitization and Digital Preservation
Activities and Initiatives at the Addis
Ababa University
Teklemichael T. Wordofa
Teferat@gmail.com
Addis Ababa University
International Conference on African Digital Libraries and Archives
17-18 Nov. 2011, Johannesburg, SA 0

2. Outline
• Current Major Practices
– Building Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Repository (AAU-ETD)
– Digitization of Museum Collections
– Mass Digitization of Library Collections
– Digitization of Locally Published Journals
– Digitization of Ancient Monastery Manuscripts
• Challenges of Current Practices
• Initiation of a Digital Projects Centre (DPC)
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3. Building Electronic Theses and
Dissertations Repository (AAU-ETDR)
• Initiation & Management
• Collection Development & workflow
• Future Plans
– Direct submission by the students
– Scaling up into national ETDR
http://etd.aau.edu.et/dspace
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5. Digitization of Museum Collection
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6. Mass Digitization of Library Collections
Order of Priority
1. Endanger publications
due to physical wear
and tear
2. Theses and
dissertations
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3. High on demand
publications
4. Indigenous and unique
publications
5. Copyright free
publications from the
general collection
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7. Digitization of Locally Published Journals
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8. Digitization of Ancient Monastery Manuscripts
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9. Challenges of Current Practices
• Increase in disparate digitization practices
• No standards for metadata and digital
images
• No system for storage and maintenance of
digital images
• Lacks University-wide policy governing
issues of preservation, access & services
• Scarcity of resources for digitization
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10. Initiation of a Digital Projects Centre
(DPC)
• The DPC is a joint initiative of the:
– University Library
– School of Information Sciences
– Academy of Ethiopian Languages and
Cultures
– School of Graduate Studies and Research
• Supported by the AAU strategic plan (2008-
2013)
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11. Objectives of DPC
• Conduct a broad range of digital projects,
including the digitization of library and
museum collections and archives
• Facilitate research in information retrieval
technologies for indigenous digital collections,
and digital library projects
• Develop instructional resources and
experiment with the application of digital content
in teaching and learning
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12. Objectives of DPC (Cont..)
• Provide digital services and guidance
including imaging, archival storage of
electronic files and metadata development
standards and formats
• Implement a digital repository management
system throughout the AAU
• Define mechanisms for the production,
storage, and access management of digital
library content
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13. Objectives of DPC (Cont..)
• Investigate architecture, services, user
requirements, and policies that facilitate the
creation, management, accessibility, and
longevity of digital information
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14. Thank you!
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