Institutional readiness for digital archives management at United States International University-Africa

Abstract

This article seeks to assess the readiness of the United States International University-Africa (USIU-A) to manage digital archives with a view to proposing strategies to enhance digital archives management at the institution. The study was informed by the Records Continuum Model, the Open Archival Information System Model and the Digital Curation Centre Lifecycle Model. A case study was used as part of a mixed-method research approach with a sample size of 120 respondents drawn from a population of 6937 by using systematic random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary review methods were used to collect data. Qualitative and quantitative data was presented and analysed thematically. The study revealed that the infrastructure required for digital archives management was not up to standard. Moreover, a myriad of challenges were unearthed which were found to potentially inhibit the management of digital archives. The study therefore concluded that although USIU-A had taken steps towards digital archives management, more still needed to be done for the institution to effectively manage its digital archives.