American University in Cairo, Egypt (AUC) is the latest organization to join the Digital Preservation Coalition, as they become Associate Members.
The American University in Cairo was founded in 1919, and from the beginning considered enrichment of Egypt’s cultural life part of its mission, sponsoring lectures and other public programming featuring important thinkers and creative individuals. The major entry of The Rare Books and Special Collections Library of AUC Libraries into the area of preserving cultural heritage came with AUC’s acquisition of the personal library of pioneering scholar of Islamic Art and Architecture Sir K.A.C. Creswell in the 1950s which, with its rare and valuable book holdings, served as the core resource for the university’s Arab Studies offerings. The library’s holdings house important donated archival collections in various disciplines, include pioneer scholars in Islamic architecture, Egypt’s leading architects, world-class photographers, local Egyptologists, famous journalists and prolific artists as well as evidence of everyday Egyptians shaping their nation as in the 2011 revolution, for preserving cultural heritage materials.
“In undertaking these activities, the Library plays a leadership role in Egypt in preserving Egyptian cultural and societal documentary heritage in physical and digital formats,” emphasises Heba Sayed, Director of Planning, Assessment and Business Development at LLT AUC, “in order to support curriculum learning delivery for faculty and student research output as well as serving intellectual community at large”.
“We are thrilled to become a member and very much look forward to cooperating with the DPC on digital preservation topics,” says Irina Schmid, AUC Digital Collections Archivist. “Like DPC, our vision is a secure digital legacy so becoming a member and connecting with the educational community will help us to deliver resilient long-term access to digital content and services.”
Juan Bicarregui, Chair of the DPC Board welcomed the news, saying: “We are delighted that AUC has joined the international network of world class organizations which makes up the DPC. With their help, we are tremendously excited at the prospect of engaging other organizations within the region and look forward to learning from their experiences as well as sharing our own.”
The DPC is an international charitable foundation which supports digital preservation, helping its members around the world to deliver resilient long-term access to digital content and services through community engagement, targeted advocacy work, training and workforce development, capacity building, good practice and standards, and through good management and governance. Its vision is a secure digital legacy.
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