The digital preservation of the history of veterinary science in South Africa

Abstract

The history of Veterinary Science in South Africa can only be appreciated, studied, researched and passed on to coming generations if historical sources are readily available. Material and sources with historical value in any country are often difficult to locate, are often dispersed over a large area and not part of the conventional book and journal literature. The Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria and its library have access to a large collection of historical sources. The collection consists of photos, slides, documents, proceedings, posters, audiovisual material, postcards and other memorabilia. Other institutions in the country are also being approached if relevant sources are identified in their collections. In 2006 the University of Pretoria’s institutional repository, UPSpace, was launched. This provided the Jotello F Soga library with the opportunity to populate the repository with relevant digitised collections of diverse heritage and learning resources that can contribute to the long term preservation and accessibility of historical veterinary sources. These collections can be utilised not only by historians and researchers in South Africa but also Africa and the rest of the world.