DIGITAL PRESERVATION OF FUMCTUR’S HISTORICAL COLLECTION

a report on the project for cleaning, organization, and planning for digitization

Abstract

This article presents an experience report on the preservation project of the historical documentary archive of the João Bebe Água Municipal Foundation for Culture and Tourism (FUMCTUR), developed between 2024 and 2025 within the scope of the Institutional Program for Scientific Initiation Scholarships (PIBIC) of the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS). The project, linked to the Library Science and Documentation course, documents the stages already completed: diagnosis of the state of conservation, cleaning, stabilization of documents, digitization, and organization with archival description. The initiative responds to the need to safeguard the institutional and regional memory of São Cristóvão/SE through integrated actions of physical conservation and preparation for digitization. The collection presented significant deterioration, requiring meticulous procedures for mechanical cleaning and organization respecting archival principles. Methodologically, the work is characterized as formative action research with a qualitative and descriptive-analytical approach, articulating participant observation and critical reflection. The preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the project, even with infrastructure limitations, highlighting the importance of practical training for students. The next step is the implementation of a digital repository.