Uma reflexão sobre a gestão de agentes biológicos na preservação do acervo documental: caso do Arquivo Histórico de Moçambique

Abstract

This work proposes a reflection on the management of biological agents in the preservation of the documentary collection, with a special focus on the Historical Archive of Mozambique (AHM), an institution of great relevance in the Mozambican archival context. The preservation of archival collections is often threatened by biological agents that degrade documents, compromising the integrity and accessibility of information. Regarding the methodological aspects, the problem was approached qualitatively, with the aim of understanding the reflections related to the fight against biological agents in document preservation, using interviews, direct observation and bibliography as data collection techniques. However, we can consider that the protection of the collection of the Historical Archive of Mozambique is a collective task that demands attention and continuous effort. Only through collaboration between professionals in the field, government institutions and civil society will it be possible to ensure that future generations have access to a rich and well-preserved historical legacy. Based on the analysis carried out, supported by the data collected in our empirical field, it was possible to learn about the great difficulties faced by this institution in matters of combating biological agents that cause deterioration of archival documents. Therefore, we recommend opting for systematic training of technicians who work directly with documents, remembering that the fight against biological agents that cause deterioration of documents is a matter for all of us. At this point, the difficulty faced was around the selection of research techniques and instruments, since there was a need to question, interview and observe the study site due to the conditions.