Abstract – It is discerned from literature that digitally preserving indigenous knowledge in the context of climate change is particularly important because indigenous communities often possess unique understandings and strategies for managing natural resources and responding to environmental changes. Their knowledge can provide valuable insights into sustainable living and adaptation strategies that are crucial in the face of global climate change. Owing to the risk of losing oral history and indigenous knowledge due to climatic changes and displacements resulting from conflicts in the Northeast of Nigeria, this study set out with the overall aim of creating a condition where indigenous knowledge is digitized and is securely maintained for the present and future generations. This attempt was made through the assessment of organisational capacity of Ramat Library by utilising the Digital Preservation Coalition Rapid Assessment Model (DPC RAM). This research proposes using the six elements of the DPC RAM as a basis for beginning the evaluation and progression towards sustainable digital preservation of indigenous knowledge regarding climate change adaptation. The Ramat Library at the University of Maiduguri was utilized for the practical application. The findings in this paper shows that there are fundamental issues hampering the digital preservation of indigenous knowledge. Some of these issues are policy related, lack of technical literacy by library staff members and poor collaboration between Library and wider community amongst others.

Keywords - Digital preservation, Indigenous Knowledge, Climate Change, Adaptation, Library

This paper was submitted for the iPRES2024 conference on March 17, 2024 and reviewed by Tricia Patterson, Stefania Di Maria, Willem Vanneste and 1 anonymous reviewer. The paper was accepted with reviewer suggestions on May 6, 2024 by co-chairs Heather Moulaison-Sandy (University of Missouri), Jean-Yves Le Meur (CERN) and Julie M. Birkholz (Ghent University & KBR) on behalf of the iPRES2024 Program Committee.

Introduction

Digital preservation, a relatively new and unfamiliar concept, has seen limited research in Northern Nigeria, particularly concerning indigenous knowledge on climate change adaptation. The situation is exacerbated by the insurgency, which has led to widespread displacement, including of individuals who possess knowledge about climate adaptation. Digital preservation involves safeguarding content over an extended period, ensuring its availability for future generations [1]. It encompasses all measures required to maintain access to digital materials despite media failure, organizational shifts, or technological changes. This is aptly captured in the definition by Digital Preservation Coalition as “all activities that are required to maintain access to digital materials beyond the limits of media failure or technological change [2].

Those materials may be digital records created during the day-to-day business of an organisation, i.e. “born-digital” materials created for a specific purpose (e.g. teaching resources), or the products of digitisation projects”. For indigenous people and local communities, the preservation of their heritage is crucial, regardless of media. Because digital objects are recorded using preservation procedures in a specific format on transient and short-lived media, they are vulnerable to obsolescence and necessitate the employment of an encoding paradigm. Therefore, it would make more sense to select a suitable digital preservation approach and permanently save all digital data on conventional, durable media.

Furthermore, although libraries, archives, and international organizations abroad have conducted extensive research on this subject and addressed the issue practically, the Nigerian situation leaves much to be desired. For instance, According to Nweze [3], the majority of academic libraries in Nigeria store their theses in specially designed storage rooms. The issue of storing capacity grows increasingly pressing each year as more theses are received. As a result, the older theses are taken off the shelf to make room for the new ones when fresh ones are received. Sadly, the outdated theses get damaged, lost, and unreadable. Some libraries only accept the theses of postgraduate students, excluding those of undergraduate students, in an effort to solve this issue [3].

In a more recent work by Okoronkwor et al. [4], the preservation of indigenous knowledge in Nigeria faces several challenges including the legacy of colonialism, the impacts of modernization and globalization, the neglect of indigenous knowledge in educational systems, environmental degradation, urbanization, the loss of indigenous languages, inadequate documentation, insufficient legal frameworks, and economic pressures. These factors contribute to the marginalization and loss of traditional knowledge and practices. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive efforts from various stakeholders to ensure the recognition, integration, and sustainability of indigenous knowledge.

It is the position of the authors that except appropriate measures are taken, vital information from indigenous communities and research findings will be lost. For many libraries within the Nigerian Universities, developing a policy for the adoption of a suitable preservation strategy and preservation initiatives of digital materials is a difficult task. It is however necessary to start by critically assessing the state of affairs in the libraries and initiate a process for documenting this Indigenous knowledge through digital mediums that ensures accessibility for both local communities and the general public in the future.

About Ramat Library

The Ramat Library was established in 1975 alongside the University of Maiduguri as part of the larger Borno State with its capital as Maiduguri. The University of Maiduguri is among the first sets of Universities in the Northeastern region of Nigeria. The Borno Empire, which historically dominated the North East of Nigeria, was one of the earliest in pre-colonial Africa. It gave birth to the North East region a long tradition of peace, which was due in part to the existence of institutions - both political and spiritual - that bind people together and help regulate conflicts. This chain of social, economic and political relationships shaped the growth and development of the Empire before the current period of modernization and democracy. The structures that existed throughout the Borno Empire have mostly persisted to this day. The Mais (kings), and the Shehus (presidents), ruled the empire. Posts that still exist within the traditional political authority structure include the Shehu (president and commander in chief), Waziri (prime minister), Aja (district head), Lawan (village head), and Bulama (ward head). Traditional and indigenous knowledge and practices on a wide range of activities relating to health, climate, security, etc can still be traced in several communities.

The goal of the Ramat Library is aligned with the overall objectives of the University of Maiduguri. As a research institution and the university, through research, addresses the challenges of the immediate environment and ensures knowledge is accessible to future generations. Although the Library has gone through several structural changes, very little has been done to update its digital repository to preserve indigenous knowledge or research that address serious issues of development such as climate change. The DPC RAM presents a good framework to guide its organizational capabilities that will also be used to monitor progress level.

Problem statement

Digital preservation is useful in this present age and time particularly in the context of indigenous knowledge on climate change in Nigeria. However, Nigerians are currently lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of indigenous Knowledge digitization for global access [5]. Some scholars further contend that cultural heritage institutions face numerous obstacles in their efforts to digitize indigenous knowledge such as inadequate funding; managing digital rights; intricate ownership protocols; misplacing or losing digitized indigenous knowledge; insufficient or lacking skills; inadequate infrastructure; scarcity of resources; and untrustworthy preservation media [6][7][8].

The above implies that the functions of libraries in Nigeria have been challenged in the twenty-first century regarding the relevance of their content and keeping with the demands of the world of technology. Because digitization is seen as a technique that may be utilized to expand exposure and global access to indigenous knowledge while also preserving it for future generations, it has become a serious issue [9]. Information exchange with the rest of the world will definitely assist Nigerians in closing the digital and knowledge gaps, hence reducing the rate of poverty and other socioeconomic problems.

Although rooted in technology, digital preservation is also about how societies respond to the growing dependence of the world upon digital processing and digital data. The Northeast region is one amongst the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria known to be a highly culturally oriented society grappling with desertification and drought – a condition that has been exacerbated by the Boko Haram insurgency. Digitally preserving indigenous knowledge in the context of climate change is particularly important in the Northeast region of Nigeria not just because the communities possess unique understandings and strategies for managing natural resources and responding to environmental changes, but the effect of displacement that separates the people from their ancestral lands depriving the future generations direct access to these knowledges.

Furthermore, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement recognizes that local knowledge systems, indigenous knowledge, traditional knowledge, and the greatest available science should all be the foundation for adaptation efforts. According to the IPCC's Working Group II Sixth Assessment Report, these knowledge systems offer "useful climate change information, observations, and solutions," and they also facilitate better adaptation results.

Indigenous knowledge is important for climate action, and the UNFCCC's Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform working group acknowledges this, recognizing the value of Indigenous knowledge in NAPs and other climate policies and programs that incorporate solutions based on Traditional and Local Knowledge. It is our opinion that the problem is as a result of policy makers in Nigeria and indeed the University institutions paying only lip service to the importance of digital preservation and by extension, indigenous knowledge on climate change.

Methodology

The methodological approach is qualitative inclined. This paper draws on information collected through interviews held between January to March 2024 in the University of Maiduguri. The Ramat Library staff members engaged in the interviews included senior staff members with at least five years’ experience in the library. The other information was collected through a desk review of relevant documents.

Indigenous knowledge preservation policies

The preservation of indigenous knowledge forms a crucial part of a nations cultural policy. The aim of cultural policy is usually to enhance cultural rights of all people and, in so doing, to promote cultural sustainability through digital preservation of indigenous and traditional knowledge. Also, in this regard, UNCTAD in Creative Economy Report [10] defines cultural sustainability as a development process that maintains all types of cultural assets from minority languages and traditional rituals to artworks, artifacts and heritage buildings and sites.

The notion of sustainable cultural development demands that culture-sensitive approaches address poverty eradication by acknowledging and promoting diversity within a human rights-based approach which can facilitate intercultural dialogue, protect the rights of marginalized cultural groups and therefore create optimal conditions for their development. In this context, there is therefore the necessity of public policies that would simultaneously encompass community demands for nonmaterial wellbeing, intergenerational wellbeing equity (that is, the distribution and preservation of resources for future generations), and the interdependence of economic and cultural variables [11].

The current state of policy on indigenous knowledge in Nigeria appears to be an area still developing and lacking comprehensive coverage in the academic literature. While there is recognition of the importance of indigenous knowledge in various sectors, including environmental conservation, agriculture, and rural development, explicit policies dedicated to preserving and integrating indigenous knowledge within national frameworks or specific sectors seem to be limited.

Due to the importance of indigenous knowledge for sustainable development [12], indigenous knowledge has become prone to exploitation [13]. Natea [14] also states that due to globalization and the world constantly changing, it has become a difficult task to protect indigenous knowledge. Although protecting indigenous knowledge is not an easy task, different measures have been put in place with the aim of protecting it.

At the global level is the UNESCO convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions which entered into force in March 2007, after its adoption in October 2005. The need for inclusivity of diverse groups in cultural expressions is also underscored by the notion that national human development paths will not be achieved unless people, regardless of their ethnic composition or status can participate meaningfully in the events that shapes their lives [15]. The convention was ratified by member States including Nigeria.

The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has also set up diverse tools such as the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, and the Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore [14]. The preservation and expression of culture derived legitimacy from the idea that cultural heritage was a human right among other human rights such as the right to worship freely or the right not to be tortured [16]. This human right to heritage became embedded in a number of UNESCO conventions and declarations in the postwar period. The main message of the convention is for every individual irrespective of their cultural extraction or ethnic formation in every country to know and understand that he or she has the right to access and express their own culture and recognize the dignity of all cultures. Acknowledging the autonomy of nations to uphold, approve, and execute measures to safeguard and encourage cultural variety on a national and global scale, the 2005 Convention aids governments and civil society in devising policy responses for new issues. In the end, the 2005 Convention offers a new foundation for knowledgeable, open, and participatory systems of governance for culture, based on human rights and basic freedoms [17].

The Nigerian cultural policy document which was launched in 1988 was designed for the benefit of the Nigerian people i.e. the entire ethnic and cultural formations in the country is divided into three broad parts with each part having its own sub-headings. The cultural strategy and its implementation strategies make up the first section. The following topics are covered in Part Two, "Focus of Implementation": mass media, education, the arts, tourism and human mobility, and general focus. There is only one component in the final chapter, part three, Administration and Finance: Administration and Financing of Culture.

The policy's primary goals are to foster innovation, guarantee the survival of traditional knowledge and skills while gradually upgrading them to meet the demands of contemporary development, and highlight Nigeria's contribution to global ideas and progress. The policy document in section 4.4.4 clearly states that Nigerian culture shall be presented through the popular vehicles of the theater, films, exhibitions, seminar, workshops and publications. The ability for these channels to adequately disseminate and promote the diverse Nigerian cultures including that of minority ethnic groups is an area that requires action.

The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) is expected to facilitate the realization of the Nigerian cultural policy and implementation of UNESCO convention through its seven agencies namely; the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), National Gallery of Arts (NGA), Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) and the National Theatre (NT). The underlisted government agencies can play an important role in preservation of Indigenous knowledge.

The digital preservation of Indigenous knowledge necessitates coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, including university libraries. Hence, the University of Maiduguri, being situated in Nigeria's most conflict-affected region, can significantly contribute to the efforts towards the digital preservation of indigenous knowledge. This initiative can assist communities forced to abandon their ancestral lands in documenting and accessing invaluable information about their natural resources, environment, traditional knowledge, and practices. Such documentation will ensure that this wisdom remains available for future generations.

Indigenous Knowledge on Climate Change

Literature on pertinent issues such as climate, environment, and sustainability sciences frequently express indigenous knowledge idea in ways that emphasize their additional worth or potential to support scientific approaches. In the global North, the topic of preservation and upkeep has been an integral component of the development of digital collections for libraries for quite some time now. Fragile, unstable, and viable media will increasingly incorporate fresh information from a range of scientific fields as the number of digital resources grows.

The loss of these library resources will damage future generations' ability to think critically and irreversibly. The world's major digital libraries came together to form the International Internet Preservation Consortium (IIPC) in response to the importance of this issue and to encourage the preservation of digital information [18]. This international consortium's objectives were to carry out collaborative work within each nation's legal framework for identification; develop and facilitate the application of some solutions for selection; build collections; preserve and facilitate access to online information sources; and provide global support for initiatives that would encourage the development of collections, preservation, and ongoing access to digital resources.

This is more so as the recurring theme in recent climate change conventions which Nigeria has participated has placed emphasis on the involvement of indigenous peoples in national climate change adaptation frameworks. In accordance with this, a 2021 assessment by international experts on Indigenous peoples and conservation showed that 91% of the areas under Indigenous management are in good or moderate ecological condition. Indigenous peoples are seen as essential stakeholders in the implementation of nature-based climate solutions because they are knowledgeable partners and local environment management specialists. There is a great deal of unrealized potential in utilizing their expertise for climate initiatives.

Also echoed by the UN climate change executive secretary in the COP 28, in his opening remark:

“Indigenous peoples co-exist in symbiosis with nature. They are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. They are well placed to lead just transitions based on their time-honoured values, knowledge and world views.”

Simon Steil [19]

The above suggests that indigenous knowledge in climate change discourse is significant in the ecological sustainability of societies. As such, the authors posit that digital preservation of these Indigenous knowledge should be equally prioritized by University libraries. In addition, local communities have guided their seasonal and interannual activities with the help of indigenous observations and interpretations of meteorological phenomena. By providing observations and interpretations at a much finer spatial scale with significant temporal depth and by highlighting elements that climate scientists might not have considered, this knowledge advances climate science [20].

Although, digital preservation and archiving in many Nigerian Universities are still in their formative stages, the chances of the inclusion of indigenous and traditional knowledge preservation seems blurry. The insurgency in Nigeria’s Northeast coupled with the environmental threat over the years has witnessed an unprecedented adaptation strategy created by indigenous communities. As such, digital preservation of these indigenous adaptation knowledge and strategies is pertinent for securing a future where access to this knowledge is guaranteed.

Digital Preservation of Indigenous Knowledge on Climate Change Adaptation

Digital preservation and indigenous knowledge nexus is rooted in the effort to safeguard, document, and share the diverse cultural heritage of indigenous communities using modern technology. Indigenous knowledge, which encompasses traditional practices, oral histories, ecological wisdom, languages, and rituals, is often vulnerable to loss as it is typically transmitted orally. Digital preservation offers a solution to document and store this knowledge, ensuring it is preserved for future generations and maintaining cultural heritage.

In other words, sustainability and longevity are critical aspects of digital preservation, which aims to keep information accessible despite technological changes. This is particularly important for indigenous knowledge, which is at risk of disappearing as elders pass away and younger generations adopt different lifestyles. Digital preservation provides a sustainable way to store this knowledge, ensuring it remains relevant and accessible for future generations.

Indigenous knowledge on the other hand is described as "knowledge that refers to the understandings, skills, and philosophies developed by societies having long histories of interacting with their natural surroundings" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization [21 p. 2]. It has been noted that there is no official definition of Indigenous Knowledge in the study area. Nonetheless, it is recognized that traditional and Indigenous knowledge can provide priceless information for assessing and preparing for climate change [22].

The majority of indigenous knowledge is still found in tacit form, despite significant advancements in study over the years. Due to the oral character of indigenous knowledge, it is imperative that efforts to document and preserve it be evaluated. This is because knowledge is typically passed down through generations. Indigenous knowledge is defined by Govender et al. [23] as traditional, cultural, local, and communal knowledge that is created and owned by local people in their particular communities and is passed down orally and via practice from generation to generation. Communities produce and disseminate this knowledge over time in an attempt to manage their unique socioeconomic and agro-ecological contexts [24].

Indigenous knowledge, according to Masenya & Ngulube [25], is primarily implicit, distinct, non-systematic, and derived from local experiments, innovations, creativity, skills, and experiences. It is also deeply ingrained in the thoughts and daily activities of communities that have long had close interactions with the natural environment that span cultural and geographic boundaries. In the Indigenous communities where it is embedded, it offers the foundation for problem-solving strategies for communities and is used as a means of communication, decision-making, and instruction [26]. Every time an elderly person passes away, it's like a library burning down since this knowledge is mostly retained in the memory of the elderly and transferred orally, through customs, and through demonstrations [27]. However, a number of circumstances, including illness, death, and memory loss, are causing the majority of indigenous knowledge to gradually disappear in rural areas [28].

While the Nigerian government has formulated a National Adaptation Plan to align the country’s adaptation activities in line with the global climate adaptation frameworks, there has been insufficient record of how it is used and implemented to reduce vulnerability at the local community level [29]. As one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change the Northeast region of Nigeria was projected to face an increased impact of climate change in terms of drought and desertification resulting in decreased crop production and grazing space for livestock [30][31].

One of the crucial things that is missing is the role that rural communities can play in terms of traditional knowledge sharing in the design and implementation of adaptation to climate change policy [31]. Thus, by preserving it, Indigenous knowledge will be accessible to future generations and will not be lost. The need to conserve indigenous knowledge is becoming more and more apparent on a global scale.

Indigenous knowledge preservation is also being supported by international organizations as the World Bank, United Nations Educational, International Federation of Library Association (IFLA), and World Council of Indigenous Knowledge. The goal of safeguarding digital heritage, according to UNESCO's 2003 charter on the subject, is to guarantee that it is available to the general public. As a result, unjustifiable limitations should not be placed on access to digital heritage materials, particularly those that are available to the public. Preserving indigenous knowledge therefore implies that it could be managed and communicated without dispossessing it from its owners and carrier.

Digital Preservation Coalition Rapid Assessment Model (DPS RAM)

The Digital Preservation Coalition Rapid Assessment Model (DPC RAM) is employed in libraries to systematically assess and improve their digital preservation capabilities. Owing to the fact that digital preservation is an onerous task that requires collaborative efforts, the authors propose the use of the model in the as a unifying data base for Ramat University Library in preserving indigenous knowledge (on climate change adaptation) from local communities.

By applying DPC RAM, libraries can prioritize actions, allocate resources more effectively, and develop strategies to enhance their digital preservation efforts. The model serves as a framework for libraries to establish a structured approach to preserving digital assets, ensuring long-term accessibility and usability of digital collections. It facilitates a comprehensive understanding of a library's digital preservation needs and helps to foster a culture of continuous improvement in digital preservation practices. Libraries use DPC RAM to evaluate their current practices against these elements, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

There are 11 sections of DPC RAM covering different elements of digital preservation capability that are grouped into two parts (Organizational and Service capabilities).

The research questions of this study were guided by the six (6) elements contained in the organizational capabilities. Organizational capabilities are defined at an organizational or other appropriate high level of granularity.

The organizational capabilities elements are:

• Organisational Viability

• Policy and Strategy

• Legal Basis

• IT Capability

• Continuous improvement

• Community

Organizational Viability

Here, the issue of governance, organizational structure, staffing and resourcing of digital preservation activities are considered. Presently, the governance of the university system is structured in such a way that the libraries operate under the leadership of a Librarian who forms part of the principal officers including the Vice Chancellor, Registrar and Bursar.

One of the challenges affecting the governance structure in the library is the frequent changing of library staff members based on the University system of rotation. In some instances, even the head of the library is changed with the arrival of a new Vice Chancellor after 4 years. In other words, the political environment of the University system may affect strategic plans and continuity of previous plans.

Organizational Viability based on the DPC RAM will require the consideration of these challenges. For instance, some staff members will have to be permanent and pass on the knowledge through training and retraining of others for sustainability. The telephone and physical interviews with some staff members of the library reinforces findings from scholars about the poor capacity and technical know-how of staff members in the library.

Policy and Strategy

The DPC RAM model measures the progress of digital preservation through the policies, strategies, and procedures which govern the operation and management of the digital archive. The University of Maiduguri Library as part of its objectives is to meet the specialized information needs of the community within which the University is situated. Going by this objective, one would expect that the library houses numerous information considering the insecurity threatening indigenous practices and cultural sustainability particularly in the rural areas of Borno.

From the findings, there is no working digital archive presently in the library. The research theses’ and dissertations that have been carried out for over a decade lies on the shelves with no traces of some of their electronic copies. The loss of any of the hard copies is the end of that research or knowledge. Judging by this, the library could be said to have a minimal awareness of the need for a policy framework for digital preservation. Furthermore, interviews with some of the stakeholders shows that an average staff member of the library has zero knowledge of the policy direction of the library now and in the future. The issue of digital archives is also non-existent.

Legal Basis

There are affirmations of compliance with laws and regulations guiding acquisition, preservation and access to digital assets. However, while attempting to access digital contents from the website (https://unimaidelibrary.com/databases.html), the server redirects to other data base where research contents can be found with some having limited access. Digital records of research from students in the University cannot be traced.

IT Capability

From the findings, Staff with IT responsibilities are few in number. In addition, very few staff members have a basic understanding of their role in supporting digital preservation but because this has not been prioritized by management, they have remained redundant. Basically, what appears to be IT responsibilities is limited to website designing and upgrading. In the aspect of digital archiving, there is still much to be desired.

Continuous Improvement

There has been no consistent precedence in terms of sustained improvement. The staff members are aware of the state of affairs and acknowledge the need to address gaps as it relates to digital preservation. However, issues of inconsistencies of staff members in the library affects this aspect.

Community

From the findings of this study there is a poor collaboration between the University Library and the wider digital preservation community. Although, staff members in interviews express the need for collaboration with other digital preservation entities like the National library, the reality on ground shows that actions have not been initiated to make this a reality.

Research have been conducted by several NGOs in the communities pertaining climate change, but these data are exclusive to these organizations. The communities may not have access to this information when the organizations’ leave. A collaboration between researchers in the area of climate change and the library could reinforce a culture of digital preservation that would stand the test of time.

Where does Indigenous Knowledge on Climate Change fall within the DPC RAM Model?

Digital documents are susceptible to loss due to the deterioration and obsolescence of the media they are stored on. They can also become unreadable and inaccessible if the hardware or software required to interpret them becomes outdated and is lost. The problem of adopting preservation approaches to mitigate the risk of digital content loss owing to rapid technical improvements is addressed by digital preservation [32].

The DPC RAM provides a comprehensive step by step outlay of how organisations including the University Library system can improve their digital preservation. While the DPC RAM formed the basis for understanding the current state of the Ramat Library, University of Maiduguri as it relates to digital preservation generally in the previous section, the crucial question addressed here is why indigenous knowledge on climate change? The justification is predicated on the current challenge affecting the immediate environment surrounding the University. Climate change has been a challenge for people in Borno community for over a long time. The Boko Haram conflict in the region which began in 2009 has exacerbated the effect of climate change and posed a threat to livelihoods of the people in the region [33]. Presently, out of 25 million people at risk of food insecurity in Nigeria in 2023 as a result of climate change, the Northeastern region of Nigeria accounts for 17 million people [34].

The Boko Haram insurgency had also ushered in a new dimension to the hardship of the rural people (technically adjudged to be the indigenous people in this paper). The adaptation to climate change being specific to communities, cultures and other contexts necessitates its preservation digitally. Digitally preserving how indigenous communities within the University of Maiduguri have been able to adapt and cope with the climate crisis coupled with the impact of insurgency cannot be overemphasized. The selection of indigenous knowledge on climate change adaptation is further prioritized because of the mass displacement resulting to loss of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and knowledge. Future generations may not have access to these assets unless they are documented and preserved in libraries.

Limitations of the Study

Although the research has assessed and proposed preliminary steps towards a successful digital preservation project in the context of indigenous knowledge on climate change adaptation in Ramat Library of the University of Maiduguri, there are several constraints that hampered the success of this project. Interviews were conducted with some Library staff members physically and via telephone. However, the authors were also unable to access the head of the Ramat Library for further details.

Furthermore, due to shortage of funds, the authors were unable to;

1. sample significant number of the indigenous community people’s knowledge of climate change adaptation

2. digitise these knowledges with the appropriate technology

Conclusion and Way Forward

Preservation of indigenous knowledge is not an easy task that should be left alone to oral history particularly in a world where displacement and migration is certain due to conflicts and climate change. On the other hand, considering the context of the research, digital preservation process cannot be exclusively left within the ambits of libraries and archives. The paper has aptly shown that digital preservation culture is at a low ebb in the study area. In fact, the application of the DPC RAM in Ramat Library gives the impression that the first step towards digital preservation (digitization for preservation) is critically missing. The authors therefore suggest a collaboration between the Ramat Library and the immediate communities whose indigenous knowledges on climate change are constantly endangered. A community/Library model where there is a sustainable collaboration that provides inputs for digitization. This will empower indigenous communities by involving them in the process and providing them with the tools and training needed to manage their own digital archives. It is our opinion that this could serve as a template for achieving digital preservation successes in issues of social and cultural dimensions in the society. The Ramat Library of the University of Maiduguri is expected to play a key role as it relates to the digitization by virtue of its proximity to the epicentre of the most affected communities by climate change and Boko Haram conflict. However, we are not oblivious of the fact that any successful digital preservation initiative would rely adequately on national and University legislation or policies among others. The authors therefore intend to follow up through formal meetings with the relevant authorities to dialogue and collaborate on policies and steps that encourages University Libraries to prioritize digital preservation of materials taking cognisance of their environmental and socio-cultural context. Lastly, it is the vision of the authors that after a proper assessment using the DPC RAM (including service capabilities), further steps will be carried out by setting measurable targets and utilizing the DPC forward plan template of 2024.