Exploration role of volunteerism on the digitisation project: case of the office of the premier in Mpumalanga province, South Africa
ISSN: 2514-9326
Article publication date: 19 May 2020
Issue publication date: 8 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of volunteerism during the digitisation project by the Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga with a view recommending the best practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical data was collected through the semi-structured qualitative interviews with the records manager and ten volunteer archivists employed by the Office of the Premier.
Findings
Local pupils within the Mpumalanga province were recruited to participate in the digitisation project as a form of youth empowerment. The Mpumalanga Provincial Archives was not involved in the digitisation project to ensure that all digitisation specification was in line with the requirement of the provincial archives. Furthermore, a lack of resources to implement the digitisation project was cited as the main stamping block for the successful implementation of the project.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to the Office of the premier, in the Mpumalanga province.
Practical implications
Archivists interested in recruiting volunteers on a digitisation project can use this paper to understand the benefits and cost of volunteer labor before putting volunteer projects into practice.
Social implications
The success of a digitisation project depends on the involvement of the Mpumalanga Provincial archives.
Originality/value
This paper presents a unique case study in South Africa of a digitisation project staffed with volunteers in the office of the Premier.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgment Records Manager Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Province.
Citation
Netshakhuma, N.S. (2021), "Exploration role of volunteerism on the digitisation project: case of the office of the premier in Mpumalanga province, South Africa", Collection and Curation, Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/CC-12-2019-0048
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited