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Society. Document. Communication

Article

Evolution of digital archives as branch of archival science and document management: Comparison of practices in the USA and Latin America

Aleks Trushaj
Retrieved from Volume 10, No. 4, 2025 Pages 33–46
Received
04.08.2025
Revised
21.11.2025
Accepted
24.12.2025
Views
485

Abstract

The aim of this article was to provide a comparative evaluation of the adaptive strategies employed in the functioning of digital archives in the United States of America and leading countries in Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina). The study was based on a qualitative comparative analysis using theoretical analysis methods, case studies, and synthesis to compare the official strategies of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the Library of Congress with the strategies of the National Archives of Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. Within the framework of this research, a systemic dichotomy in the maturity of the models in the USA and Latin America was identified. It was determined that the NARA functions as a mature Trusted Digital Repository that employs active preservation and ensures authenticity through complex, resource-intensive metadata Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies, and continuous preventive format migration. In contrast, it was found that archival institutions in Latin America employ a fragmented model of the Open Archival Information System, where investments are directed towards digitising historical heritage, rather than ingesting natively digital documents. Therefore, the study identified gaps in Latin America, such as infrastructure deficits (lack of ingestion systems in Brazil), personnel shortages (the dominance of an IT approach over archival science in Mexico), and financial instability, which undermine efforts to implement trusted digital repositories. As a result, authenticity in Latin America often relies on legal provisions rather than on the technical storage chain. The results of the study allowed for the formulation of a holistic approach as a recommendation for improving the long-term authenticity of electronic archives, which combines archival education reform and the creation of joint regional repositories as adaptive strategies. The practical value of the research lies in providing specific recommendations for the strategic adaptation of international standards for countries with limited resources

Keywords

resource limitations; long-term data preservation; digital transformation; ingestion, format migration; metadata

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Suggested citation

Trushaj, A. (2025). Evolution of digital archives as branch of archival science and document management: Comparison of practices in the USA and Latin America. Society. Document. Communication, 10(4), 33-46. https://doi.org/10.69587/sdc/4.2025.33