ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT PRESERVATION THROUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN LIBRARIANS AND PHILOLOGISTS AT THE MALANG CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY AND REGIONAL ARCHIVES OFFICE

Abstract

The preservation of ancient manuscripts is an important effort to maintain the continuity of information and cultural values. This study aims to describe the implementation of ancient manuscript preservation through collaboration between librarians and philologists at the Malang City Public Library and Regional Archives Office (DISPUSSIPDA), Malang City. This study employed a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. The informants consisted of two librarians and one philologist, while the research objects comprised six ancient manuscripts: Babad Mambangul Ngulum, Usadha Tiwang, Nahwu, Serat Yusuf, Primbon, and Ala Ayuning Tanggal. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, and analyzed through data reduction, coding, data presentation, and conclusion drawing based on the preventive and reactive preservation aspects proposed by Harvey and Mahard (2020). The results show that preservation activities include collection identification, storage and arrangement, environmental control, disaster response, maintenance, repair, and digitization. Collaboration between librarians and philologists plays a role in identification, verification, determining preservation actions, and managing manuscript information. This collaboration supports the continuity of preservation despite limitations in librarian training, storage facilities, 24-hour environmental control, fumigation, and disaster response procedures. These findings demonstrate the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in preserving ancient manuscripts amid limited institutional resources.