DOI: https://doi.org/10.65760/kassu.i1.58 |Issue 1 | April 2025|
Ibrahim M. M. Furfuri
Inuwa Abdul-Kadir Library, Sokoto State University, Sokoto
Abstract
Over the years, the value of Hausa songs as historical and cultural heritage materials is widely recognized and appreciated within small communities and larger society. However, digital preservation of audio recordings of Hausa songs have undergone series of transformations due to technological obsolescence and breakdowns, human errors in contents migrations, natural disaster challenges, and other economic, social and political issues. This paper therefore, aims at investigating digital archiving practices in media libraries, focusing on enhancing preservations, access and use of heroic songs of Kassu Zurmi. Ten (10) participants from selected media libraries in Sokoto and Zamfara States participated in in-depth interviews for the data collection. The interviews provide some insights into current digital archiving practices of audio recordings of songs and challenges faced by researchers and other stakeholders in accessing and using audio recordings, particularly the heroic songs by Kassu Zurmi. The findings of the study reveals that, media libraries face challenges in digital archiving for preservations of audio recordings of songs including the heroic songs of Kassu Zurmi. The specific challenges are limited technological expertise coupled with rapid advances in the technology, and financial resources. Furthermore, the study reveals the significant contributions of digital archiving in the preservations and enhancement of researchers’ access and use of Kassu Zurmi’s heroic songs as valuable cultural heritage materials. Thus, the study conclude that long term preservations and facilitated access to heroic songs of Kassu Zurmi are necessary in providing research supports services and educating present and future generations about Hausa cultural heritage materials. Hence, in order to avoid gradual extinction or diminishing their values, some useful recommendations were made towards long-term preservations of the audio collections in media libraries. The recommendations include capacity building for staff managing audio collections, collaborations for partnership and exchange arrangements among media libraries, institutional supports in terms of policies, funding, and archiving guidelines. Keywords: Digital Archiving, Media Libraries, Audio Collections, Digital Preservations, Heroic Songs, Kassu Zurmi
