Deficient infrastructure puts Mozambique Historical Archive at risk of losing documents

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Deficient infrastructure puts Mozambique Historical Archive at risk of losing documents

3:19 CAT | 29 Jul 2019

Picture: Jornal Domingo

The Historical Archive of Mozambique (AHM) recently celebrated 85 years of existence, bringing into focus a wish to strengthen its identity as a true national archive.

However, the construction of a purpose-built building, equipped with up-to-date information storage equipment, is considered a necessity in order to avoid damage to or loss of important documents.

The archive houses accounts of the Mozambique’s history since the 19th century, preserved in the form of audio cassettes and on microfilm and paper.

To give some idea, the headquarters building stores 22,000 books, 160 periodicals, an oral archive of 14,000 audio cassettes, civil and notary registration documents, and Eduardo Mondlane’s own collection. The other building, located next to the National Library in Maputo, houses over 300,000 microfilmed documents.

The Historical Archive has in its collection about 30,000 linear metres of treated textual documentation, grouped in 82 archival funds, available for public consultation. It also has about 100,000 varied images from special collections and 700 hours of sound recordings covering history and traditions.

Only three of the archive’s five buildings are currently in operation: the headquarters, the one next to the National Library, and the third, on the campus of Eduardo Mondlane University.

The two that are not operational are on East Timor Avenue and the of Filipe Samuel Magaia and 24 de Julho Avenues, both in Maputo city.

Most of these buildings were not built as archives, but have been adapted to function as such.

Source: Jornal Domingo