A Website Is a Website Is a Website: Why Trusted Repositories Are Needed More Than Ever

Abstract

Over the last two decades there has been a surge in activists, linguists, anthropologists, documenters digitally recording endangered language use. These unique records often are uploaded to corporate social media sites or to privately run websites. Despite popular belief, uploading these materials to a server does not mean they are archived and preserved for future generations. In this paper we discuss the differences between professional archiving systems and content management system (CMS) based approaches to making language materials accessible. Looking at the example of the Archive of Languages and Cultures of Ethnic Groups of Thailand we discuss the benefits of a Mukurtu based community website, and how linking it to a professional archive can ensure long-term preservation of precious and unique language materials.