"Preservación de la memoria lingüÃstica. Manuscritos en lenguas indÃgenas extintas resguardados en la Biblioteca Nacional"
The proposed documentary set is made up of two manuscripts books made in the colonial period, on seventeenth-and eighteenth centuries, and are preserved in the Biblioteca Nacional de Mexico. The main criteria of grouping them is based on the fact that they recorded texts in indigenous languages that became extinct in historical stages after the elaboration of the document, so that the surviving copies are considered as a safeguard of the original linguistic memory of Mexico and the Latin American and Caribbean region as part of the indigenous languages spoken in the Spanish American territory during the colony.
Risks encountered
Environmental issues
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Moisture | Moderate |
Temperature | Low |
Dust | High |
Pollution | Low |
Pests (rodents, animals, insects, etc.) | Low |
Microorganisms (bacteria, mould, etc.) | Moderate |
Light (visible light, ultraviolet radiation, etc.) | Low |
Management or organizational issues
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Lack of maintenance, including cleaning | High |
Inadequate building | Moderate |
Building with structural damage | None |
Lack of an adequate warehouse | Moderate |
Lack of boxes and/or archive materials | Moderate |
Lack of human resources | High |
Lack of security measures | Moderate |
Insufficient budget to operate | None |
Natural disaster risks
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Fires | Low |
Rains | Moderate |
Mudslides or landslides | None |
Hurricanes, cyclones, storms | Low |
Earthquakes | Moderate |
Volcanic eruptions | Low |
Temperature increase | Moderate |
Floods | Low |
Tsunamis | None |
The main risk from natural disasters includes possible moisture leaks in the event of torrential rains or storms, mainly in the rainy season (approximately May to October), as well as possible damage from falling books or shelves in the event of high-magnitude earthquakes
The main risk from natural disasters includes possible moisture leaks in the event of torrential rains or storms, mainly in the rainy season (approximately May to October), as well as possible damage from falling books or shelves in the event of high-magnitude earthquakes.
Political and/or social risks
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Armed conflicts | Low |
Illegal trafficking of documents | Moderate |
Thefts or robberies | High |
Vandalism | Low |
Threatening socio-cultural environment | Low |
Lack of support/public policies | None |
The main risk, in the absence of resources (human and financial) for the improvement of security measures, would be the possible theft of documents for various purposes, including illicit trafficking of documents. On the other hand, the university environment that protects the National Library gives it a certain security in terms of risks due to social conflicts, but it does not eliminate them completely
The main risk, in the absence of resources (human and financial) for the improvement of security measures, would be the possible theft of documents for various purposes, including illicit trafficking of documents. On the other hand, the university environment that protects the National Library gives it a certain security in terms of risks due to social conflicts, but it does not eliminate them completely.
Environment (location) issues
| Identified risks | Level of risk |
|---|---|
Material/storage units | Low |
Furniture | Low |
Room or warehouse | Moderate |
Site or neighbourhood | Low |
Area or region, beyond the neighbourhood | Low |
Building | Moderate |
One of the main threats is the lack of financial resources specifically allocated to preservation-conservation. Due to this, the BNM must use resources from different budget items that are addressed to other purposes, a situation that complicates the adequate planning of conservation programs, given the lack of certainty of the budget available for preservation in each period. On the other hand, the lack of professional personnel specialized in conservation-preservation also limits the scope of actions that can be carried out
Indicators
| Identified risks | |
|---|---|
Management Plan | Partially |
There is a Conservation and Restoration Department Policy Manual, which includes preservation policies for the building, the repositories and the collections, as well as procedures manuals of the Department, which will begin a period of updating, to be finished in 2025. | |
Response Protocol | Partially |
Due to the main risks identified, we have a response protocol for the rescue of documentary collections in case of water contingency. It is necessary to expand the document to cover other possible risks to our collections. | |
Documentary heritage digitization | Yes, completely |
It is planned to have both manuscripts digitized and available in the Biblioteca Nacional Digital de México during the first quarter of 2025. | |
Documentary heritage availability on the internet | No |
The main environmental risk is the relative humidity levels that the repository reaches (in the rainy season above 60-65%), which is reduced for the moment with the help of portable dehumidifiers. In addition to this, the accumulation of dust and the lack of resources (human and financial) to carry out the deep cleaning of the collections and furniture, increases the potential risk of the development of microorganisms.
The main environmental risk is the relative humidity levels that the repository reaches (in the rainy season above 60-65%), which is reduced for the moment with the help of portable dehumidifiers. In addition to this, the accumulation of dust and the lack of resources (human and financial) to carry out the deep cleaning of the collections and furniture, increases the potential risk of the development of microorganisms.