https://doi.org/10.37955/cs.v5i4.207
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Science-technology linkages for the
preservation of university historical
documents
Los vínculos ciencia- tecnología para la
conservación de la documentación histórica
universitaria
Adriam Camacho Domínguez
Master's Degree, Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte de Guayaquil, Ecuador
acamachod@ulvr.edu.ec , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6944-2171
Yulianela Pérez García
Master's Degree, Universidad de las Artes, Ecuador, yulianela.perez@uartes.edu.ec ,
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9897-4158
Washington Rolando Villavicencio Santillan
Master's Degree, Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte de Guayaquil, Ecuador,
wvillavicencios@ulvr.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5905-5442
Abstract
This article focuses on a series of problems that threaten the
preservation and use of university heritage, especially documentary
heritage. Various aspects such as the non-compliance with legislation,
the absence of an efficient institutional policy, damages caused by lack
of knowledge and personnel, the high cost of technologies and
materials necessary for conservation and restoration, and the evident
impact of age affect its preservation. Taking these precedents into
account, the different uses derived from the management of university
documentary heritage in its links with science and technology are
analyzed. From the methodological point of view, an analysis was
carried out with a qualitative approach based on the method of
bibliographic review and the selection of information through criteria
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 – October – December - Revista Centro Sur - eISSN: 2600-5743
61
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
of inclusion and exclusion of primary and secondary sources in which
a perspective of studies on science-technology and society prevailed.
The main results allow identifying the necessary introduction of
technology to facilitate preventive conservation, cataloging and
dissemination of documentary heritage and all that derives from it in
terms of research. Likewise, the implementation of a responsible
management of documentary heritage requires the involvement of
various social actors and institutions to promote scientific research
based on the management and dissemination of knowledge as a
significant resource.
Resumen
El presente artículo se centra en una serie de problemas que atentan
contra la preservación y uso del patrimonio universitario, en especial
el documental. Diversas aristas como la inobservancia de la
legislación, la ausencia de una eficiente política institucional,
afectaciones provocadas por falta de conocimiento y personal, el alto
costo de las tecnologías y materiales necesarios para conservación y
restauración y el evidente impacto de la antigüedad afectan su
conservación. Tomando en cuenta estos precedentes, se analiza los
diferentes usos que se derivan de la gestión del patrimonio documental
universitario en sus vínculos con la ciencia y la tecnología. Desde el
ámbito metodológico se realizó un análisis con un enfoque cualitativo
basado en el método de revisión bibliográfica y la selección de la
información mediante criterios de inclusión y exclusión de fuentes
primarias y secundarias en el que primó una perspectiva de los
estudios sobre la ciencia-tecnología y sociedad. Los principales
resultados permiten identificar la necesaria introducción de la
tecnología para facilitar la conservación preventiva, la catalogación y
divulgación del patrimonio documental y todo lo que de el se deriva en
materia investigativa. Igualmente de la implementación de una
responsable gestión del patrimonio documental se hace necesario
involucrar a varios actores sociales e instituciones para promover
investigaciones científicas a partir de la gestión y divulgación del
conocimiento como recurso significativo.
Palabras clave/ Keywords
Documentary heritage, management, university, document
preservation, scientific dissemination
62
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
Patrimonio documental, gestión, universidad, conservación de
documentos, divulgación científica
Introduction
Currently, one of the fundamental problems of universities is related
to the protection, conservation, restoration and dissemination of their
valuable documentary-historical heritage. In this complex
management process, it is necessary to overcome the reduced visions
that relate university heritage more to those tangible expressions that
are usually restored and preserved. The documentation that every
university campus generates throughout its history often suffers from
neglect without taking into account that multiple scientific and social
uses can be obtained within the framework of a responsible and
holistic cultural policy that promotes an adequate management of
these cultural riches.
The social, cultural, economic and political contextualization of
heritage knowledge is fundamental, based on a deep knowledge of its
diverse expressions with benefits for institutions and society in
general. This cannot be divorced from the technological and scientific
development that characterizes modern societies, organizing a
management that enhances links with various branches of knowledge
and reaches different social sectors.
There are also a series of problems that threaten the preservation and
use of university heritage, especially documentary heritage, which
touch on different aspects such as: non-compliance with current
legislation in several countries, the absence of an efficient institutional
policy, damages caused by lack of knowledge and personnel, the high
cost of the technologies and materials necessary for conservation and
restoration, and the evident impact of age, humidity and dust that
affect heritage documentation.
For this reason, cultural heritage increasingly requires the -
introduction and incorporation into its scientific and technological
processes of an analysis that interrelates science-technology and
society. It is necessary to incorporate society and social actors in the
elaboration of projects for the study, conservation, use and
visualization of the heritage created by them. This change towards a
more integral or holistic perspective of heritage must incorporate the
scientific-technological in the cultural, abandoning reductionist
disciplinary treatments that hinder the systemic treatment of it,
63
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
forgetting the social character of science, relating culture and scientific
dissemination and advocating an integration of social and
experimental sciences, interpreting it as the need to humanize the
sciences and impregnate a more scientific look to the humanities.
(Fonseca et. al, 2020, p.24).
Based on this situation, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the links
between science and technology and the management of university
documentary heritage. The objectives are to determine the different
uses derived from the management of university documentary
heritage in its links with science and technology, to explain its
conceptualization and integration, to identify the different problems
that exist in its management and dissemination process, and to
evaluate the different scientific and social uses that can be obtained
from its management in its links with science and technology.
Materials and Methods
From the methodological point of view, a qualitative analysis was
carried out based on the method of bibliographic review and the
selection of information through inclusion and exclusion criteria of
primary and secondary sources in which a perspective of studies on
science-technology and society prevailed.
The science-technology and society approach focuses on the search for
relevant and important information about the sciences and
technologies of modern life, the analysis and evaluation of these
combined with reflections on the values involved and decision making
at the institutional or nation level.
The structure of the study used the contributions of the theoretical
methods of analysis-synthesis, induction-deduction and historical
logic to address variables and indicators related to documentary
heritage and universities, university management and governance,
and Science-Technology-Conservation of University Documentary
Heritage.
Results
Universities with historical heritage have had processes not exempt of
problems and particularities in the conformation of their diverse
expressions. On many occasions we witness the in situ assessment of
restorations of imposing facades or monuments that are only small
reflections of the University Cultural Heritage (hereinafter PCU), in
64
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
which movable and immovable assets such as architecture,
archaeological sites, works of art, manuscripts, books and other
objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest are mixed, as
well as scientific collections of all kinds, assets of ethnological value,
technical documentary or of any other cultural nature regardless of
their origin or owner. (Diaz, 2012, p.125)
The PCU is not exhausted in the purely historical, artistic or material,
also its intangible heritage has been the result of the creative activities
of the university community, cultural traditions, sports, religious and
today are preserved with the responsible use of the historical memory
that houses the university in every corner. Within this intangible
heritage, the documentary support constitutes a legacy for humanity,
and its protection, dissemination and enrichment depends on
everyone. (Dorado & Hernández, 2015)
Universities as model centers of education through their libraries or
information centers have the unavoidable mission of sensitizing and
raising awareness among the university community and the rest of
society about the protection of their cultural heritage. However, at
present, the functions of university libraries need to be updated in
accordance with the trends and needs that contemporary heritage
demands, so that they can develop sensitive experiences,
communication strategies and educational alliances that empower the
communities and the surrounding population.
In the midst of all these expressions of heritage, one aspect is vital
today, we refer to the preservation of historical documentation in the
university environment, mostly reduced to remain in their archival
institutions, libraries and offices. This heritage is complex, and its
degrees of conservation vary according to the management
implemented by the higher education institutions, the knowledge of
the personnel designated for these functions, the investment in
technology or materials for these purposes and the will of preservation
existing in the authorities.
Foster (1995) goes deeper into these issues by proposing the
composition of the documentary heritage in those informative
elements and documents that are carriers of transcendental data for
the current development of the academic, pedagogical and research
purposes of the university; as well as those that contemplate in their
content some transcendental fact; describe a proven, authentic and
reliable relationship that is part of those events that have had a direct
65
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
impact on the development of the university, and have a relevant
influence on the process of its social development (academic
publications, prints, audiocassettes, videocassettes, tapes, CD's,
DVD's, maps, cartographic references, etc.).).
Although this conceptualization includes more contemporary
expressions, a large part of these documentary treasures are related to
collections that may date back centuries based on documents that
include university council minutes, rector's resolutions, academic
records, photographic collections, pamphlets or rare and valuable
books. In many cases, it has been observed that some institutions have
lost important collections due to mismanagement, infrastructure
problems or dangers caused by humidity and neglect.
Along with these collections we cannot fail to mention that much of the
documentation that is currently being generated constitutes in itself a
new contribution to this documentary heritage, inevitably connecting
universities with the future knowledge society that can be generated
from academic, research or community outreach processes.
(Takayanagui, 2014).
With the development of science and technology and the application
of new technologies, there has been an explosion of documents and a
diversification of the media containing information. As León (2006)
explains, there has not been a proportional increase in the amount of
space available for storage, which makes it necessary to seek formulas
that do not require a large physical expansion.
Universities in developing countries have not been exempt from the
evolutionary process of information supports, nor from the
consequences derived from the contemporary scientific, technological
and documentary explosion, but their efforts to alleviate this
phenomenon are slow and complex due to the serious economic
difficulties suffered by some nations. As a result of these conditions,
documents with supports in different materials coexist in university
libraries and archives, due to the historical juxtaposition of the
carriers, which has caused documents of scientific, historical or artistic
value created in the past to require efficient restoration. This is an
excessively time-consuming activity and requires a large amount of
resources and highly qualified personnel. Given these circumstances,
it is recommended to strive to create the ideal conditions for proper
preventive conservation of documents, as well as to provide staff with
the necessary knowledge for this arduous task and invest the few
66
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
resources available in taking all appropriate measures to prevent the
deterioration of the supports and the loss of the information they
contain. (Palma, 2013)
In parallel, heritage conservation management cannot be divorced
from social uses and the links imposed by science and technology
today, which must stimulate a process that goes beyond the mere
restoration of conserved goods. It is not only a problem of material and
physical conservation but also of the involvement of those who
preserve the memory and help to define the historical conscience of a
society and the valuation of its own path.
This is connected with a trend that currently defends from the
perspective of the librarian field the open access to the information
heritage for its institutionalization within the legal frameworks of
universities. This is based on an operational model that can be
coordinated by university and specialized libraries that aims to
sustain, manifest and regulate such access as a right of citizens and
institutions, promote the use of the information heritage, encourage
the autonomy of open access, disseminate the value and usefulness of
open access to scientific and humanistic information for social
benefits, among others (Palma, 2013).
Management of University Documentary Heritage: fundamental
issues.
Cultural management is powerfully influenced by the changing and
diverse contemporary environment. Among the characteristics of the
times that influence the performance of management are: mercantile,
financial and cultural globalization, the accelerated development of
communications, computerization and transportation, the sharpening
of economic, technological and social inequalities, the concentration
of economic power outside the state, the increase in ethnic conflicts
and migration processes, the deterioration of the environment and the
acceleration of processes of cultural homogenization and the
destruction of identities.
These characteristics, which imply uncertainty in management
processes, are present in the complex realities of underdeveloped
countries and pose a challenge for the preservation of our common
heritage. The cultural management of heritage responds to a global
coverage, where the fields of cultural administration (planning,
67
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
coordination, direction and evaluation) and the dimensions of cultural
activities (animation, creation, preservation, dissemination) are
combined, ensuring an adequate and efficient development of policies
both in macro social systems and in those related to the behavior of
entities, programs or specific projects of the sector. (UNESCO, 2003)
The projections of heritage management cannot be disconnected from
cultural policies, Garcia (1999) identifies the complexity of this process
as a:
set of interventions carried out by the State, civil institutions and
organized community groups in order to orient symbolic development,
satisfy the cultural needs of the population, and obtain consensus for
a type of order or social transformation. (p.18)
In this sense, cultural policies constitute the symbolic unity of a nation,
the distinctions, divisions and links within it and with respect to other
nations, and heritage management constitutes a broad process that
involves different networks, actors and interactions. Thus the
conceptualization of management and conservation of the PCU is
expressed as a conscious process, which establishes purposes and
commitments of the subjects involved to promote learning and
attitudes. (González et. al, 2018)
The management of the PCU must take into account these external
conditions without losing sight of certain deficiencies that must be
overcome internally, mainly associated with the management and
preservation of its assets, which can be summarized in the following
aspects:
Lack of knowledge and non-observance of current legislation on the
protection of cultural heritage by those responsible for its
preservation. The legal systems include a wide range of legal
provisions that implement the political interest of the State to protect
its heritage, but their regulation and implementation has different
nuances within the public and private sectors.
Incomprehensions in the design of an institutional policy with respect
to the management, handling and preservation of university heritage
aimed at guaranteeing its identification, protection and dissemination,
not only within the university community but also outside of it.
Lack of knowledge of the totality of the heritage assets of the
universities, specifically those of a documentary nature such as
68
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
reports, offices, memorandums, books, articles, journals, book
chapters, papers, theses, among others: it is presumed that some of
these are not identified, which implies a lack of knowledge of their
characteristics, state of conservation and historical-heritage value and
hinders the execution of concrete actions with respect to their
safeguarding.
Problems with the state of conservation of cultural heritage: due to
factors such as climate, age, dust and partial or total damage, deficient
training of those responsible, among others. There are a large number
of assets that are in a poor state of conservation, which is detrimental
to their durability. In the specific case of heritage documentation,
these require conservation conditions that are sometimes very costly -
such as air conditioning-, qualified personnel for handling and
maintenance, the necessary equipment for image and/or sound
reproduction, conservation units and adequate furniture for special
materials, just to mention some of the shortcomings.
Within all these requirements, documentary heritage constitutes a
fundamental nucleus. The documentary wealth contains material not
only related to the universities that preserve them, but to the history
of each country, it must be organized in such a functional way that it
helps us to understand more about our past, this process of revaluation
of effective strategies must take into account the uses of science and
technology where an ethical and social responsibility of the scientists
responsible for them prevails. (Morte & Esteban, 2019)
The relationship Science-Technology-Conservation of University
Documentary Heritage.
PCU management must evolve in correspondence with the archival
reality worldwide. This situation leads us to the application of the so-
called hybrid systems, which means producing, storing and
maintaining documents on paper and other media that technology
offers us, such as microfilm or electronic media, so that at this point of
convergence to ensure the preservation of archival documents for as
long as they are needed. Hybrid systems are used as a way of
guaranteeing the preservation of information, so as not to have
problems in the attention of citizens and the legal order in general that
public documents support (León, 2006).
The universities are destined to adopt a system for the management of
their documentary heritage in which the preservation and integrity of
all electronic records and traditional archival documents are
69
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
complemented in an efficient way and with the transparency of their
free access.
Management, seen in a multifunctional sense, should connect the
university documentary heritage with knowledge, rather it should be
treated, for the sake of accuracy, as a management of internal and
external organizational information for the generation of new
collections that will influence the development of products and
services with high added value, because knowledge can only be
managed converted into information, gathered, processed, organized,
stored and disseminated through databases, shared information
networks, virtual communities, among other contemporary means of
data and information transfer.
In the new university educational models, information,
documentation and knowledge management is emerging as a strategic
component of the first magnitude. The traditional orientation of the
tactical nature of information or documentation management projects
changes when it is considered a true component of the educational
strategy. The sustained growth in the training of professionals in these
areas of knowledge has been of great importance in this regard,
although unfortunately there are great differences between countries.
We must not lose sight of the necessary links that must exist between
documentary heritage and the social function of knowledge, as Bernal
(1939) announced:
To ensure the knowledge base that will allow the construction on
rational bases of a national project based on the traditions, values,
interests and expectations of the people.
To extend and turn into a collective patrimony the capacity of thought
that allows us to confront dogmatism, mysticism, irrationality, the
uncritical acceptance of interpretations and projects that are not
supported by practical experience and lack scientific and cultural
foundations that are duly argued.
Strengthen national self-awareness through the in-depth study of
national history and culture, where the care of the documentary base
itself, contained in archives and databases, is fundamental.
Ability to develop, based on knowledge, public deliberation of the
issues that most interest the nation and its citizens. The discussion and
evaluation of public policies, the exercise of social criticism, are
70
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
constituent elements of a truly participatory democracy that
encourages the exercise of a committed citizenship.
Education in general and the technical preparation of workers allow
for a reasonable technological learning capacity that makes possible
the functioning and development of the productive sector.
Productivity has cultural roots and labor performance is not
indifferent to educational and technical capacity. Any strategy
implemented in universities for the protection of their documentary
heritage lacks the basic support if they do not have the right people to
deal with the technologies and their scientific backing.
Maintain a receptive and at the same time critical and selective
attitude towards the cultural, scientific and technological production
that circulates in the global world today. In a world where a truly
overwhelming volume of information circulates, there is a great deal
of knowledge available. A good part of the problems that affect society
require technical resources that it will not be necessary to create. It
may seem a simple task, but the mere ability to search, find, select and
adapt is actually a complex and highly creative task.
The strategies for the fulfillment of this series of objectives in the
documentary heritage management process must be based on the
profound technological revolution we are living through, and as part
of it, the introduction and appropriate use of both computers and
various computer products. The new information technologies have
definitely brought about a profound change in the working methods of
any type of professional and in any work carried out in the so-called
information society. It is a fact, unanimously accepted, that a social
and cultural transformation has taken place that is giving rise to a new
industrial environment and new cultural forms of relationship and
personal and group intercommunication.
The aforementioned transformation continues to affect all
professional fields and their fields of application: commerce, finance,
services, entertainment, training, social media, editing-publishing...
and, obviously, the field of archives, libraries and university
information and documentation centers and services.
Consequently, communicators, information professionals in general
and documentalists have a new role to play in the era of electronic
information, characterized by digitization, integration and
globalization, as an immense universal data network or World Wide
Web. The network of networks, the Internet (and its derivations,
71
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
Intranet/Extranet), is therefore presented as a new means of
communication, as the current instrument par excellence for the
reception, consultation, production and dissemination of information
of all kinds. (Serrano, 2020)
We are in a digital era, at a time when the available technologies of
image and sound digitization, robotics and management of large
databases and networks allow any professional in different fields of
work to consult all kinds of information, produce their own content,
digitize their material and integrate it into a complex system of remote
access and dissemination. (Leija et. al, 2020)
Nowadays, with the development of science and technology and the
application of new information and communication technologies
(NICT), there has been an explosion of documents and a
diversification of the media that contain information.
As Bustelo(2019) refers:
In this context, when organizations begin the process of digital
transformation that inevitably implies that paper documents cease to
exist, we are forced to make explicit new conventions that allow us to
understand and define what an "electronic document" is and, with this
change, new spaces are opened to establish new good practices to
manage them. (p. 4)
In addition, various duplication techniques have been developed, such
as facsimile reproduction, photocopying, microfilming, photography
and digitization, among others, which facilitate the preservation of
original documents by limiting access by users. With gradual work
based on these experiences, a preservationist culture can be generated
among users. (Cascón-Katchadourian et. al, 2018).
NICTs should constitute a fundamental support for the management
of the PCU; they have improved the search, storage, retrieval and
dissemination of information, streamlining and improving access and
service to users. However, there has not been a proportional increase
in storage space, which makes it necessary to seek formulas that do not
require a large physical expansion.
Digital technology promises to be one of the possible solutions to this
problem because of the advantages it offers, but the process of
digitization of collections is a complex and costly process that requires
strategic decisions by the institutional management. Although
72
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
digitization offers the possibility of storing, managing and
disseminating a large volume of information, rapid retrieval of
accurate information and online access, it is a relatively new
technology and some aspects remain to be resolved, which are still
controversial and, rather than disadvantages, constitute challenges
that will have to be solved in the near future (León, 2006).
Among these challenges are the high initial investment, the longevity
of the media used is short compared to that of quality paper, the
technology used for storage and retrieval of information becomes
obsolete relatively quickly and backward compatibility is often limited,
the necessary refreshment or migration of stored data to a new
medium and the renewal of technology in relatively short periods, the
need for renewal of the technologies used the digitization project is
expensive and the invulnerability to certain deterioration factors is not
fully demonstrated. Fungi species are known to affect compact discs.
Many other advantages and disadvantages could be mentioned in the
use of this technology, but the main thing is that it is a tool, not an end
in itself, and the success of digitization programs lies in knowing how
to use it to achieve the proposed objectives.
Attention should also be paid to the importance of using technology
not only for the digitization of documentary and bibliographic
collections, but also for the creation of databases, the use of the
Internet and repositories for the dissemination of the university's
documentary heritage, all this in close connection with the training
and specialization of specialized personnel. It is essential to take into
account the strategies of communication, dissemination and training
of the public and the students that interact in the university with the
use of blogs, web pages, brochures and the intervention in radio and
TV to promote values in different social sectors. Likewise, a necessary
bridge is built with the outside world in the search for agreements and
resources to acquire technology to facilitate preventive conservation,
cataloging and dissemination of documentary heritage and all that
derives from it in terms of research. (Macías & Bujardón, 2010; Quirós
& Polo, 2018).
For this type of situation, awareness-raising (understanding by
awareness-raising the work of dissemination and extension of
scientific knowledge by the university community that carries out
research in the territory comprising the heritage to the local
community, with the advice of personnel qualified in such tasks) is
73
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
considered as a way of counteracting the negative effect of the exercise
of ignorance about the potential for scientific and economic
development of the heritage. In this sense, complementary actions are
needed, for example: the aforementioned work of dissemination and
extension of the acquired knowledge.
The processes of heritage interpretation and management are -
currently a new discipline in the development of heritage enterprises,
in order to resolve a major dilemma: to enhance the value of heritage
and its conservation, while at the same time allowing a deep
understanding of its various expressions with benefits for the
communities that carry it.
Within the framework of the implementation of a responsible
management of documentary heritage, it is necessary to involve
various social actors and institutions to promote scientific research
based on the management and dissemination of knowledge as a
significant resource. In this process that arises from the use of
university documentary heritage, academic exchanges with scientists
and specialists from other universities can be stimulated to break any
kind of cultural obstacle in function of a responsible and modern
management of documentary heritage linked to technology and
science. (Garcia et. al, 2018).
In the spirit of cultivating social responsibility to protect and
disseminate the university documentary heritage, another series of
actions can be taken into account, such as arranged and guided visits
to show the different collections within the archives or libraries,
determining in advance the type of people to be visited, their academic
level, age and purpose, among others. Each group will be made aware
of the importance of the university's documentary heritage for them
and for society in general and how they can use it for educational,
personal or research purposes.
Another type of activity is that of pedagogical services that consist of
the interaction that should exist between the university and
educational centers (schools, universities), promoting the educational
dimension that archives and libraries can fulfill, based on the use of
their collections for didactic purposes. In this way, it will be possible
to stimulate reflection and critical thinking among students by
bringing them closer to their immediate reality through documents in
workshops or information literacy courses.
74
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
Conclusions
The links between culture and science in the field of UCP studies
should lead to encourage ethical values and social responsibility in the
academic community. Within heritage studies, it is urgent to pay
attention to the University Documentary Heritage, seen as a
reformulated heritage that considers its social uses, not from a mere
defensive attitude, of simple rescue, but with a more complex vision of
how society appropriates its history and can involve new sectors. It
does not have to be reduced to a matter for specialists in the past: it is
of interest to officials and professionals engaged in building the
present and to all sectors whose identity is often disrupted by the
hegemonic uses of culture. The external and internal problems that
hinder the rescue, study and promotion of heritage cannot prevent the
consolidation of the nation, but no longer as something abstract, but
as what unites and unites in a solidary historical project the social
groups concerned with the way they inhabit their space and conquer
their quality of life.
The conceptualization and integration of the University Documentary
Heritage is presented as an indispensable argument to seek solutions
from the STS perspective for its rescue and contribution to the
knowledge and culture of the nation, taking into account the
characteristics of the documentation, both digital and paper.
A proper management of these heritage values from a correct
appropriation of the tools provided by the STS perspective will
contribute to achieve results at three fundamental levels:
Scientific value of heritage per se and the techniques of its preservation
and dissemination.
Preparation of technicians and professionals who will interact with
this value in correspondence with the reduction of the risks that affect
it.
Greater social impact of this tangible and intangible heritage with the
interaction between society and history.
In order to direct, execute and supervise the mechanisms inherent to
the implementation of an institutional strategy in relation to the
protection of the University Cultural Heritage, the creation of a
Department for the Management and Preservation of Cultural
Heritage in the universities is required.
75
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
The diversity of problems mentioned above constitutes a challenge and
a starting point for a work that will gradually have to be carried out:
Execute actions aimed at identifying and registering the assets
comprising the PCU.
Develop and coordinate with the pertinent institutions the technical
activities aimed at the conservation and restoration of the PCU.
To guide and control the university areas that own or have custody of
patrimonial goods regarding their treatment, procedure and
management in accordance with their nature, characteristics, location
and state of conservation.
Coordinate activities aimed at the promotion and dissemination
of University Cultural Heritage.
To promote research projects, whether through undergraduate,
postgraduate or other works, aimed at obtaining scientifically based
information regarding the identification, treatment, use, main
problems and possible solutions associated with the assets that are
part of the University's Cultural Heritage.
Coordinate , manage and execute the necessary resources to
finance the activities to be developed by the Department.
To elaborate information products, such as multimedia, printed
or digital publications and others, aimed at the dissemination of the
assets that make up the University Cultural Heritage, which may be
susceptible to commercialization.
Digitize historical documentation and minimize the use of paper and
physical materials.
Invest in materials, platforms and repositories that become digital
archives for the enjoyment of the present and future university
community.
References
76
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
Bernal, J.D. (1939) La función social de la ciencia. In: Valdés
Menocal, C. (Coord.) (2004). Problemas Sociales de la Ciencia
y la Tecnología. Editorial Félix Varela, 1-26.
Cascón-Katchadourian, J., Ruiz-Rodríguez, A. Ángel, & Alberich-
Pascual, J. (2018). Review, analysis and evaluation of systems
for multimedia asset management in organizations. Revista
Española De Documentación Científica, 41(1), 1-13.
https://doi.org/10.3989/redc.2018.1.1481.
Díaz, J. (2012) University heritage, virtual heritage. Educación y
Futuro (27), 121-137.
https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/4060941.pdf
Bustelo, C. (2019) Digital transformation from a document
management perspective. RUIDERAe: Journal of Information
Units. (13), 1-11
https://revista.uclm.es/index.php/ruiderae/article/view/1834
/1434
Dorado, Y. & Hernández, I. (2015). Documentary heritage, memory
and identity: a look from the Information Sciences. Ciencias de
la Información, 46(2), 29-34
https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/1814/181441052006.pdf
Fonseca, A., Brull, M., & Casanellas, A. M. (2020). The
communication of university heritage. Question/Cuestión,
2(66), 1-26 https://doi.org/10.24215/16696581e491
Foster, S. (1995) Memory of the World: guidelines for the
safeguarding of documentary heritage. UNESCO.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000125637_spa
García, N. Social uses of heritage. In: Aguilar Criado, E. (1999)
Patrimonio etnológico. nuevas perspectivas de estudio.
Consejera de Cultura. Junta de Andalucía, 16-33
Garcia M., Silva C. H. da, & Guimarães M. C. S. (2018). Bibliotecas
acadêmicas e o desafio da gestão de acervos de periódicos
eletrônicos: o caso da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz).
Ciência Da Informação, 46(2).
http://revista.ibict.br/ciinf/article/view/3971.
77
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
González, A. N., Guitián, M. V. & Mendoza, B. (2018) Documentary
management as a function of the preservation of documentary
heritage. Revista Publicando, 5. 14 (3), 196-209.
https://revistapublicando.org/revista/index.php/crv/article/d
ownload/1239/pdf_921
Leija D. A., Loredo R. & Valle L. G. (2020) Preliminary guidelines for
the digital preservation of Tampico's architectural documentary
heritage. Investigación Bibliotecológica: archivonomía,
bibliotecología e información 34, (85), 13-32.
http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/iibi.24488321xe.2020.85.58182
León, H. (2006) Conservación preventiva de documentos. Editorial
Félix Varela.
Macías, M. E. & Bujardón A. (2010) Values education from the
science-technology-society approach: educational simulation
as an advanced didactic tool. Didasc@lia: Didactics and
Education, 4, 31-46.
https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/4227635.pdf
Morte, T., & Esteban, M. Ángel. (2019). Fonds and archives of non-
governmental organizations: challenges for document
management. Revista General De Información Y
Documentación, 29(1), 167-189.
https://doi.org/10.5209/rgid.64577.
Palma, J. M. (2013). The cultural, bibliographic and documentary
heritage of humanity: Conceptual, legislative and informative
revisions for heritage education. In: Cuicuilco Revista de
Ciencias Antropológicas, 20(58), 31-57
http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/cuicui/v20n58/v20n58a3.pdf
Quirós, E., & Polo, M. E. (2018). Open geographic information
resources for scientific research and documentation. Revista
Española De Documentación Científica, 41(3), e214.
https://doi.org/10.3989/redc.2018.3.1512
Serrano, M. (2020) The digitization of cultural heritage. The
Directive on copyright and related rights in the digital single
market. InDret. Journal for the Analysis of Law. 3, 61-111
https://indret.com/la-digitalizacion-del-patrimonio-cultural/
Takayanagui, A. D. (2014). The university in the knowledge society:
78
Received April, 11 2021 / Approved July, 20 2021 Pages: 60-78
eISSN: 2600-5743
Centro Sur Vol. 5 No. 4 - October - December
towards a model of production and transfer of knowledge and
learning. Avaliação: Revista da Avaliação da Educação
Superior 19 (3), 549-559. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1414-
40772014000300002
