Volume 46, Issue 3

Abstract: The following piece is an extensively edited transcript of a talk given by Clifford Lynch titled “Born-digital News Preservation in Perspective,” from a meeting called “Dodging the Memory Hole 2016: Saving Online News.” It retains the informality of the presentation. The meeting was hosted by the UCLA Library in Los Angeles on October 13–14, 2016, and is presented online at RJI (the Donald W.) Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri; there is also video of the talk available on the Internet). https://www.rjionline.org/stories/clifford-lynch-born-digital-news-preservation-in-perspective; accessed 8/3/17. The meeting was sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Reynolds School of Journalism, UCLA, the University of Missouri Libraries, and Educopia Institute.

Abstract: Our current media environment is in a state of post-truth disruption: fake news is rampant, trusted media sources are viewed as partisan and suspect, and emotional appeal and personal belief hold more influence than objective facts. While many information professions are focused on combatting fake news through media literacy education, policy development, and advancements in search and social media technology, the archival profession has a slightly different task: evaluating how fake news can be preserved. The proliferation of fake news marks a significant cultural shift in information, politics, and identity, and is a valuable retrospective on how we consume and share media and assess its collective impact on society. But archiving fake news is a complex endeavor, particularly when it comes to ensuring that the archive includes enough context to help future researchers interpret the information. This article briefly explores some of the ways archivists may need to rethink traditional archival practices when developing repositories for fake news in their archives.

Abstract: The author created a media project, #100hardtruths-#fakenews, to collect and preserve media relating to fake news that was generated during the first 100 days of the U. S. Presidency of Donald J. Trump. Her resulting website chronicles fake news as well as the many media responses to it. This article describes the author’s construction of the site, characteristics of the posts, and ways in which she navigated the large volume of fake news and related posts. The project explores the complex issues that attend such a project. The goal was to induce energy and insight so that thoughtful professionals might save intentional digital news preserves. The article concludes with preservation recommendations.

Abstract: Indonesia has a rich heritage of manuscripts that represent the cumulative knowledge, values, experience, and practices of its people. This knowledge needs to be preserved. However, preservation does not need to use expensive equipment and materials. This paper examines some of the traditional methods and materials used to conserve manuscripts, and the philosophical viewpoints that underlie the traditional methods in Indonesia, based on a case study at Rekso Pustoko library at the Mangkunegaran Palace in Surakarta Province, Indonesia. This study used a qualitative approach with two research methods: a survey of manuscripts and one-on-one interviews with staff at Rekso Pustoko. The findings from the interviews indicated that traditional conservation methods are still applied by the caretakers of manuscripts. The use of vetiver and incense, of lemon grass, and the adjustment of air ventilation are the primary methods used in preservation. The findings also show that Javanese traditional philosophical understandings influence their conservation practices. The staffs believe that manuscripts are heirlooms from their ancestors, and if they disregard the ancestors, they will face hardships because of karma. The findings from this study are important in documenting empirical experiences in implementing traditional conservation methods to preserve the manuscripts’ intellectual content.