PANEL 2: Stories From the Region: Pragmatic Digital Preservation
Tracks
Rongomātāne C
| Tuesday, November 4, 2025 |
| 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM |
| Rongomātāne C |
Session Contact
Mr Joshua TJ Ng
Digital Preservation Analyst
Archives New Zealand
STORIES FROM THE REGION: PRAGMATIC DIGITAL PRESERVATION
Summary Abstract
A. Digital preservation in the Southeast Asia-Pacific region is shaped by resourcefulness, collaboration, and cultural care. It is also shaped by barriers—both within institutions and across national and linguistic boundaries—and by a recognition that digital preservation practices, as currently defined by dominant frameworks, often reflect prevailing models of practice developed in different institutional and cultural contexts.
This panel brings together practitioners and advocates from Southeast Asia-Pacific region and beyond to share pragmatic digital preservation stories grounded in local realities. Each panellist will present a short case study reflecting how they are navigating limited resources, institutional blockers, and shifting understandings of what “best practice” looks like from where they stand.
Beyond sharing how digital preservation is being done, this panel asks:
• Who gets to define “good” or “best” practice?
• How can we centre digital preservation practices for our region?
• What happens when access is restricted—by cost, policy, or power?
• How do we move from technical compliance to cultural relevance?
Themes include digital preservation as a form of activism against erasure, gaps in access and digital agency, collaboration across borders and disciplines, and the importance of stepping outside one’s own context to share authority and reframe knowledge. The discussion will also spotlight common regional blockers—such as the conflation of digitisation and digital preservation, language barriers, and the steep costs of tools, infrastructure, and training.
Informed by the iPRES Regional Impact Committee’s discussions and SEAPAVAA community insights, this session not only celebrates what's working but calls for deeper conversations about ethics, equity, and regional collaboration in digital preservation.
This panel brings together practitioners and advocates from Southeast Asia-Pacific region and beyond to share pragmatic digital preservation stories grounded in local realities. Each panellist will present a short case study reflecting how they are navigating limited resources, institutional blockers, and shifting understandings of what “best practice” looks like from where they stand.
Beyond sharing how digital preservation is being done, this panel asks:
• Who gets to define “good” or “best” practice?
• How can we centre digital preservation practices for our region?
• What happens when access is restricted—by cost, policy, or power?
• How do we move from technical compliance to cultural relevance?
Themes include digital preservation as a form of activism against erasure, gaps in access and digital agency, collaboration across borders and disciplines, and the importance of stepping outside one’s own context to share authority and reframe knowledge. The discussion will also spotlight common regional blockers—such as the conflation of digitisation and digital preservation, language barriers, and the steep costs of tools, infrastructure, and training.
Informed by the iPRES Regional Impact Committee’s discussions and SEAPAVAA community insights, this session not only celebrates what's working but calls for deeper conversations about ethics, equity, and regional collaboration in digital preservation.
Biography
Joshua TJ Ng is Digital Preservation Analyst, Archives New Zealand. His work focuses on audiovisual preservation as well as the infrastructure and processes supporting the Government Digital Archive (GDA).
Asti Sherring (she/her) is Manager Changeable and Digital Collections, National Museum of Australia. She specialises in Time-based Media conservation and relational approaches to cultural heritage collections. Asti is currently undertaking doctorate research at the University of Canberra and is Honorary Senior Lecturer, Humanities, Arts and Social Science, Australian National University.
Kari James is the Executive Officer of the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau at the Australian National University. In this capacity, she serves on the Board of the ANU Pacific Institute and the Bureau of the Pacific and Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (PARBICA). She has academic qualifications in media studies, information management and archives.
Kerrie Shaw holds a Diploma in Library and Information Studies, an Adv Dip in Local, Family and Applied History and a Grad Cert in Cultural Management. She is an experienced digitiser and practitioner of digital preservation and enjoys sharing her knowledge.
Mengchun Tsai is a freelance audiovisual archivist, formerly a technician and Head of the Film Restoration Team at TFAI. Responsible for film digitization, digital restoration, and the development of digital preservation infrastructure.
Martino Cipriani is a Film and Digital Video Lecturer at Bangkok University. His research focuses on Southeast Asian film industries and heritage, digitization, media archaeology, and audiovisual preservation.
Sanchai Chotirosseranee is the Deputy Director of the Thai Film Archive (Public Organization). He is on the executive council of the Southeast Asia-Pacific AudioVisual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA) and the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF).
Karen Chan is the Executive Director of the Asian Film Archive (AFA). She leads AFA to create new life and access for collections, and an innovative platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and discovery. She teaches film literacy, writes, advocates for preservation and film as heritage. She is in her second term as President of Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA) and is the current Chair of the Co-ordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA).
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