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National archival agencies are mandated to manage public sector archives and records. They provide guidance by issuing, among others, guidelines, policies, and procedures. With advances in technology, and in the spirit of e-government, it is expected that national archival agencies should have websites through which key documents that provide guidance on the management of archives and records are made accessible online. The purpose of this study was to compare the websites of Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS) and the National Archives and Records Services of South Africa (NARSSA) with specific reference to key documents providing guidance on the proper management of public archives and records. This study is qualitative and obtained data from a content analysis of the websites of the two organisations. These were supplemented by interviews from selected key officers responsible for public archives and records management programmes. It is notable that BNARS has a website that can be accessed through Botswana's Department of Information Technology. On the website, the only downloadable guidance document is an archives search room inquiry form. Comparatively, NARSSA has a more comprehensive website with downloadable guidance documents such as file plans, templates records management policies, records retention and disposable schedules, and functional specifications for electronic records management systems, to mention just a few. It is recommended that BNARS should have a comprehensive website with guidance documents posted on it to provide guidance for proper public archives and records management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the legislative and policy frameworks in support of digital archives curation, and the challenges inherent in digital archives curation in the context of Botswana public sector. The study used qualitative content analysis to resolve the research problem. The data collected was analysed thematically. The International Council on Archives (ICA) Principles on Access to Archives were used as a conceptual framework to guide the study. Digital curation is a function modern archivists cannot ignore nor shy away from. The study findings revealed that the legislative and policy framework for digital archives curation exists, but it is weak. In addition, the study revealed that there are constraints hindering access to archives including, among others, inadequate funding, inappropriate infrastructure, shortage of skilled personnel and time restrictions to enable wider access. Therefore, the researchers hope that insights from this study can shed light on the current state of affairs on digital archives curation and provide future directions for guiding digital archives curation at Botswana National Archives and Records Services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most curriculum components of archival graduate programmes consist of contextual knowledge, archival knowledge, complementary knowledge, practicum, and scholarly research. The practicum, now commonly known as experiential learning in the global hub, is now widely accepted in library and information studies (LIS) education as necessary and important. It is through experiential learning that, over and above the theoretical aspects of a profession, students are provided with the opportunity to learn by doing in a workplace environment. The University of Botswana's Master's in Archives and Records Management (MARM) programme has a six weeks experiential learning programme whose purpose is to expose prospective archivists and/or records managers to the real archival world in terms of practice as informed by archival theory. The main objective of the study was to determine the extent to which the University of Botswana's experiential learning component exposes students to real-life archival work to put into practice theoretical aspects learnt in the classroom as intended by the university guidelines. This study adopted a qualitative research design and collected data through interviews from participants selected through purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Documentary review supplemented the interviews. The data collected were analysed thematically in line with research objectives. The study determined that experiential learning does indeed expose students to the real world of work. It thus helps to bridge the gap between archival theory and practice for students without archives and records management work experience. For those with prior archival experience, experiential learning does not add value. This study recommends that students with prior archives and records management experience should rather, as an alternative to experiential learning, undertake supervised research, and write a research essay in a chosen thematic area in archives and records management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]