Digital Archives and Community Memory in Indigenous Libraries: A Case Study

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how digital archives in Indigenous libraries contribute to the preservation, accessibility, and mobilization of community memory within distinct Indigenous communities, addressing the gap that digital initiatives often overlook experiential and intergenerational knowledge transmission. The problem centers on balancing digitization with cultural governance, ensuring community control, ethical considerations, and sustainable access while preventing misappropriation and loss of contextual meaning. The aim is to examine the processes, outcomes, and governance mechanisms that shape digital archives as living repositories of community memory, and to develop a framework for co-created, culturally responsive digital archiving practices. Specific objectives are (1) to map current digital archiving practices in three Indigenous libraries serving different linguistic and cultural groups; (2) to assess how these practices support intergenerational knowledge transfer, identity formation, and community governance; (3) to evaluate user engagement, trust, and perceived legitimacy of digital archives among elders, youth, and knowledge bearers; (4) to identify ethical, legal, and technical constraints influencing access, control, and sustainability; and (5) to propose a model for co-management and participatory design that enhances memory continuity and cultural sovereignty. The study employs a comparative case study design anchored in participatory action research to capture nuanced, contextual insights across three Indigenous library settings a coastal nation with matrilineal lineage systems, an inland community with language revitalization priorities, and a remote island community emphasizing oral histories and sea-based livelihoods. The population comprises library staff, elders, youth ambassadors, cultural advisors, and community members with archival contributions. A purposive sampling strategy yields 40–50 participants, apportioned to capture diverse roles and perspectives. Data collection combines semi-structured interviews (n=25), focus group discussions with elders (n=6 groups) and youth (n=4 groups), participant observation over 18 months, and document analysis of digital archive policies, metadata schemas, user analytics, and artifact records. Instruments are pilot-tested for cultural appropriateness and translated where necessary. Validity is enhanced through triangulation, member checking, and researcher reflexivity. Reliability is supported by standardized interview guides and inter-coder agreement for qualitative analyses. Analytical approaches integrate thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke) for qualitative data, with NVivo coding to identify recurrent themes related to cultural governance, consent, and co-creation processes. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses, including regression models and ANOVA, are employed on survey data measuring perceived legitimacy, trust, and engagement across demographic groups. A framework of governance and access is iteratively refined against empirical findings. The study draws on theoretical perspectives from Indigenous data sovereignty, particularly the CARE (Collective Access, Rights-based Engagement) model, the Theory of Cultural Capital, and the Social Shaping of Technology to interpret how archival practices mediate community memory, identity, and power relations. Key expected findings include (i) evidence that co-designed metadata schemas and participatory digitization workflows enhance knowledge retention and context through culturally resonant descriptors; (ii) robust indicators of community trust and perceived ownership linked to governance practices that privilege elder leadership and informed consent; (iii) differential impacts on intergenerational knowledge transfer, with youth engagement correlated to participatory design features and access governance; (iv) identification of ethical tensions around permission, repatriation, and data sovereignty, with practical mechanisms for ongoing community oversight; and (v) a scalable governance model and repository architecture that balances open access with controlled, culturally governed access. The study contributes to knowledge by offering an empirically grounded, transferable framework for Indigenous digital archiving that foregrounds community sovereignty, participatory governance, and culturally situated metadata design, thereby advancing inclusive digital heritage practices and policy considerations for Indigenous libraries. The final recommendations include a set of best practices for co-management agreements, metadata standards aligned with cultural meanings, capacity-building programs for digital stewards, and a scalable governance blueprint adaptable to diverse Indigenous contexts. The conclusion anticipates that digitally mediated community memory, when governed by Indigenous principles and active intergenerational participation, strengthens cultural continuity, resilience, and identity while enabling sustainable access to enriched, trusted archival resources.