Fiocruz's audiovisual and sound archives: a reflection on their digital preservation

Abstract

In this article we present a brief reflection on what has been undertaken for the digital preservation of archival, audiovisual and sound collections, which are part of historical-administrative documentary sets and are part of the institutional activities of two sectors of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. These archival collections – which are located respectively at VideoSaúde Distribuidora/ICICT and at the Department of Archives and Documentation/COC – have in common the fact that they are archival documents which represent a cultural and documentary heritage of Brazilian public health. We will discuss about the digital preservation practices that are affecting these collections. As a theoretical reference we refer to the concepts defined above all by Conarq about audiovisual and sound documents. The presumption of authenticity in archival collections is provided for in the resolutions of this body, in addition to criteria of digital preservation and audiovisual and sound archival collection found in the literature of the area. We draw attention to the various documents produced by Fiocruz and the ongoing experiences in favor of the digital preservation of this institution's collections. As a discussion and preliminary results, we highlight the importance of preserving the audiovisual and sound memory of Brazilian public health, whose digital preservation initiatives correspond to the policies, programs and institutional plans adopted.