When Library and Archival Science Methods Converge and Diverge: KAUST’s Multi-Disciplinary Approach to the Management of its Audiovisual Heritage

Abstract

Libraries and Archives have long recognized the important role played by audiovisual records in the development of an informed global citizen and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is no exception. Lying on the banks of the Red Sea, KAUST has a state of the art library housing professional library and archives teams committed to the processing of digital audiovisual records created within and outside the University. This commitment, however, sometimes obscures the fundamental divergences unique to the two disciplines on the acquisition, cataloguing, access and long-term preservation of audiovisual records. This dichotomy is not isolated to KAUST but replicates itself in many settings that have employed Librarians and Archivists to manage their audiovisual collections. Using the KAUST audiovisual collections as a case study the authors of this paper will take the reader through the journey of managing KAUST’s digital audiovisual collection. Several theoretical and methodological areas of convergence and divergence will be highlighted as well as suggestions on the way forward for the IFLA and ICA working committees on the management of audiovisual records.