The Arts and Humanities Data Service

Preserving Digital Collections:current methods and

researchNeil Beagrie

Funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee

Overview

� growth of electronic records� A Strategic Policy Framework for Creating

and Preserving Digital Collections Neil Beagrie and Daniel Greenstein

� pro-active programmes � collaboration� new approaches� legal issues

� what you can do� further information

Growth of Electronic Records

Computer Disk Storage after Michael Lesk

http://www.gii.getty.edu/timeandbits/ksg.html

� In the USA it is estimated that 75% of federal government transactions will be electronic by 2000 AD

� 1.5 kilometers of paper records transferred to PRO each year:estimated 95% originate from electronic source

Awareness & Preparation

� Digital Preservation Needs and Requirements in RLG Member Institutions M.Hedstrom and S. Montgomery Dec 1998 http://www.rlg.org/preserv/digpres.html

Preparation 2

The Study

� One of seven digital preservation studieshttp://www.ukoln.ac.uk/services/elib/papers/supporting/

� life-cycle(“continuum”) of a digital resource and preservation

� policy framework� Desk-top survey and 15 interviews with archives,

libraries and museums� 5 Case studies, best practice guidelines,

resources and other studies

The Framework

� Framework based on the life-cycle of a resource» creation (planning and implementation)» management and preservation» use» legal & business environment

� Documents relationship and dependencies� identifies involvement of different stakeholders

with any one resource

The Case Studies

� Funding agencies � digitisers � data banks � institutional archives � academic archives � legal deposit/copyright libraries

Pro-active programmes

� NERC Data Policy http://www.nerc.ac.uk/environmental-data/#DATAPOLICY

� EROS (Electronic Records In Office Systems)http://www.pro.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/eros/

» records management guidelines» records process:appraisal pilot projects» long-term transfer and access strategy

� AHDS/AHRBhttp://ahds.ac.uk http://www.ahrb.ac.uk/

» joint C&IT Policy» Guidance for depositors and data creators

Collaboration

� international efforts

DLM-FORUM http://www2.echo.lu/dlm/en/home.html

» publications & training programme» legal implications» information for the citizen

� TASI (JISC Technical Advisory Service for Images)

» Building Image Archives (data capture and creation, data access and delivery, data collections management)

http://www.tasi.ac.uk/

New approaches

� digital preservation methods: » migration» emulation » technology preservation

� “bundling” and technical metadata

New approaches

� BSI Digital IDT/1/4 � Universal Preservation Format (UPF)

» http://info.wgbh.org/upf/

� “Rosetta Stone” conceptual model» http://www.ercim.org/publication/ws-

proceedings/DELOS6/index.html

Legal issues

� copyright� confidentiality and data protection� licensing and contract law� public records legislation� Preserving the U.S. Government's White House Electronic Mail:

Archival Challenges and Policy Implications David Wallace

http://www.ercim.org/publication/ws-proceedings/DELOS6/index.html

What you can do

� Increase awareness Into the Future: On the Preservation of Knowledge in the Electronic

Age http://www.clir.org/programs/otheractiv/intro.html

� develop collections policy� pro-active programmes - early involvement � collaborate� continuous professional development

Where to get more information

A Strategic Policy Framework for Creating and Preserving Digital Collections

Neil Beagrie and Daniel Greenstein

� website- <http://ahds.ac.uk/manage/framework.htm>

� published by JISC as Elib Supporting Study No. P3 by Library Information Technology Centre, South Bank University,

London 1998, ISBN 1 900508 47 8, 78 pages £20 � also as BLRIC Report No 107 on demand photocopy or

microfilm � email list - AHDS-ALL (send email message: join ahds-

all [first name] [last name] to mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk