Digital preservation is often misunderstood. Many institutions assume that once materials are digitized, they are preserved. But as a recent conversation between experts in the field highlighted, this assumption can lead to the loss of valuable cultural and scholarly content.
In our April webinar we hosted Kwesi Sewe of University of Ghana who shared firsthand insights into the realities of digital preservation in Ghana and the urgent need to rethink how it is taught and implemented.
Kwesi Sewe’s experience is a powerful reminder that digitization alone is not preservation. While working on digitization projects at the University of Ghana, his team converted valuable heritage materials, some of which are centuries old, into digital formats. However, within just a few years, much of that digital content was lost because the systems, policies, and infrastructure required for long-term preservation were not in place. Files stored on hard drives, flash drives, or basic repositories can easily be lost due to hardware failure, human error, or lack of maintenance. Without metadata, governance frameworks, and preservation planning, digital assets remain fragile.
Kwesi emphasized that digitization is not preservation. Although it’s important, without planning, policy, and infrastructure, it can create a false sense of security. Files stored on flash drives or external hard disks may feel safe in the moment, but without redundancy, metadata, and long-term strategies, they are incredibly vulnerable. His message was clear: if anything, digitization can introduce new risks when it’s not paired with preservation thinking from the outset.
Alicia Wise responded with a parallel perspective from her own background in archaeology, where the stakes are similarly high. Excavating a site often destroys it, leaving digital records as the only surviving evidence. That reality has driven a strong culture of preservation in her field. She drew a compelling connection to her current work, where digital content is safeguarded through distributed systems designed to withstand everything from technical failure to natural disasters. The underlying principle is simple but powerful: preservation requires intention. It’s not something that happens automatically just because something exists in digital form.
As the conversation shifted toward education, Kwesi reflected on the curriculum at the University of Ghana and similar programs across the region. While preservation is taught, it is still largely framed in traditional, physical terms. Digital preservation, when it appears, is often limited to a brief introduction which is to define it, but not enough to equip students with practical skills. There’s little exposure to the frameworks, tools, and real-world scenarios that define the field today.
Kwesi pointed to existing global frameworks and best practices that could be adapted rather than reinvented. He also stressed the importance of hands-on learning and giving students the chance to work with real or simulated systems, to understand not just what preservation is, but how it actually works. For him, the goal is not simply to produce graduates who can operate systems, but professionals who can lead conversations about sustainability, access, and stewardship.
The discussion also touched on the broader landscape of library education, particularly across Africa. Kwesi noted that programs vary widely from country to country, shaped by different resources, levels of technological integration, and institutional priorities. In some places, education remains largely theoretical; in others, there is more emphasis on practical, technology-driven skills. These differences create both challenges and opportunities. Without shared standards, it can be difficult to benchmark progress but at the same time, there is space to learn from one another and evolve.
Both Kwesi and Alicia spoke about the potential of collaboration as a way forward. In resource-constrained environments, partnerships can make an enormous difference whether through shared infrastructure, training, or knowledge exchange. Organizations that support capacity building, like those involved in broader research and library initiatives, could play a pivotal role in expanding access to digital preservation expertise.
Kwesi was particularly open about the need for stronger collaboration in Ghana and across the region. While there are pockets of activity, there is not yet a cohesive network focused specifically on digital preservation. Building such networks, he suggested, could help reduce duplication of effort and strengthen resilience. More importantly, it would help ensure that valuable cultural and intellectual heritage is not lost.
As the discussion drew to a close, Kwesi expressed a vision for the future where digital preservation is no longer treated as a niche topic, but as a core component of professional practice. He imagined an educational landscape where it is fully integrated into curricula, supported by hands-on training, and enriched by interdisciplinary collaboration. Most of all, he emphasized readiness, emphasizing that the expertise, interest, and motivation are already there. What’s needed now is commitment both institutional and collective.