Cosoma embarks on digitising works
Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) has embarked on digitising thousands of copyright works domiciled in its library to enhance their preservation.
The initiative has been made possible with a K100 million financial support from the Sound Connects Fund under the Malawi Digital Archive project.
In an interview yesterday, Cosoma vice-board chairperson Ezaius Mkandawire said the society has a mandate to protect and promote creativity.
“Cosoma noted that it has in its library copies of members’ works in mostly obsolete formats. These include audio CDs, VCDs and tapes… The digitised works may also support e-commerce,” he said.
Mkandawire, a journalist and former president of Film Association of Malawi, said Cosoma is expecting to have digitised a total of 193 000 works. These, among others, include music, movies, paintings and books.
“We can only encourage members to adopt the digital technology as it is the modern way of doing business as we are constantly evolving and adopting more technology,” said Mkandawire who is also the project lead.
About 10 000 local artists are preferred beneficiaries of the undertaking as their creative works are at risk of loss or damage due to the format that they are currently in.
The Malawi Digital Archive project is expected to be officially launched by Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife Michael Usi in Lilongwe today.
Photographers Association of Malawi vice-president Amos Kwadzanji observed that besides better preservation, digitisation of copyright works also offers opportunities for wider dissemination of the works.
He said: “Digitised works are encrypted and generally secured as well as being environmentally friendly as there is less or no paper in use.”
Kwadzanji also observed that once digitisation is completed, artists will have an opportunity to market their works online.
“This will also increase access to the works and consecutively boost proceeds for the artists. Further, they will competently manage their economic rights,” he said.
Sound Connects Fund is implemented by Music in Africa Foundation in partnership with Goethe-Institute.
