Det digitale arkiv som kuratorisk og teknisk udfordring

Metodiske og praktiske erfaringer fra indlemmelsen af Svend Åge Madsens hybride forfatterarkiv på Det Kgl. Bibliotek

Abstract

This article examines the preservation and documentation of Svend Åge Madsen’s literary archive, which was acquired by the Royal Danish Library in 2024. The hybrid archive comprises both physical and digital materials, with the article’s primary focus on the digital component, which has presented particular demands with respect to preservation and curation. Through a detailed case study, the article traces the process from initial considerations and the collaborative efforts between the author, curators, and digital specialists, to the technical preservation work, in which the selection of methodology and systematic documentation proved decisive for maintaining both data integrity and contextual coherence. The article underscores the importance of timely preservation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and rigorous documentation. It argues that a more thorough understanding of preservation processes is essential to safeguarding historical context and material integrity in digital cultural heritage archives, thereby ensuring the archive’s scholarly value and transparency for future users.