Preservation Lifecycle
The digital preservation lifecycle refers to all of the stages required to preserve and sustain access to digital content; from creation to ingest, management and administration to access and reuse.
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Access, Use and ReuseCreate or Receive (Acquire)DisposalIngestPreservation ActionPreservation PlanningStorage
Articles
Digital Preservation Policy Toolkit
This Toolkit provides information to assist in the construction of a digital preservation policy. It will help guide you from initial research and preparation phases, to drafting your policy, gathering feedback and, finally, polishing and communicating the finished policy. This Toolkit is for anyone who would like to create a policy focused on digital preservation. It is targeted at all those working with digital content who have chosen to, or are required to, create a policy to...
Nothing About Us Without Us
I was asked recently to sketch out some thoughts about archives and artificial intelligence. I am drawn to the topic as usual but with little real clue of where to start, so my point of departure is a comment on ethics. I have no real mandate to frame the ethical tone for what should be a very important debate, but if we don’t start here – if we put technology first – then there’s every possibility that we will end in the wrong place, either through sterile solutionizing, or worse by selling...
Benchmarking the DPC using RAM - webinar
DPC's Rapid Assessment Model (RAM) was launched as a DPC Member benefit in September 2019. More information about DPC RAM including a recording from an introductory Members-only webinar can be accessed on the DPC RAM web pages. In this Member's only webinar the DPC will summarise DPC Member engagement with RAM and present anonymised statistics and analysis collected from DPC Members. There will also be ample opportunity for Q&A, discussion and feedback on DPC RAM. DPC Members...
Benchmarking the DPC using RAM - webinar
DPC's Rapid Assessment Model (RAM) was launched as a DPC Member benefit in September 2019. More information about DPC RAM including a recording from an introductory Members-only webinar can be accessed on the DPC RAM web pages. In this Member's only webinar the DPC will summarise DPC Member engagement with RAM and present anonymised statistics and analysis collected from DPC Members. There will also be ample opportunity for Q&A, discussion and feedback on DPC RAM. DPC Members...
From ‘starting digital preservation’ to ‘business as usual’
Anna McNally is Senior Archivist at University of Westminster in the UK The University of Westminster’s Records and Archives team manage the institutional records of the University (founded in 1838), alongside the deposited records of several architects and town planners, and a garment collection (the Westminster Menswear Archive). We started actively managing digital records in 2016 but, in a relatively fast-paced area (compared with paper records!), it’s hard not to always think...
The long WARC to freedom
Tom Wilson is Associate Archivist (Digital Preservation) for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Switzerland. Our recent transfer of web-crawl suppliers taught us that the best laid plans can be derailed by factors beyond one’s control. UNHCR has been capturing content for its web-archive since 2015, working with Internet Memory Research (IMR) as our supplier to capture, store and display this content. In 2018, IMR informed us that they would be going bankrupt....
Assessing where we are with Digital Preservation
Fabiana Barticioti is Digital Assets Manager at LSE Library The DPC launched their Rapid Assessment Model (RAM) to members in September. To keep the momentum going I completed the assessment, in consultation with other colleagues, and submitted it to DPC immediately. I strongly recommend all membership to do it and help DPC to benchmark the DP community efforts.
Benchmarking with DPC RAM: a workshop
A couple of weeks ago I attended a Digital Archives Learning Exchange event at The National Archives and was really pleased to have the opportunity to talk about DPC’s Rapid Assessment Model - a maturity model for digital preservation that we released at the iPRES conference last month.
DPC launches Rapid Assessment Model (DPC RAM)
The Digital Preservation Coalition has launched its new maturity model, the DPC Rapid Assessment Model, at iPRES2019 in Amsterdam this week. Designed to enable rapid benchmarking of an organization’s digital preservation capability, the DPC RAM is a digital preservation maturity modelling tool which aims to be applicable for organizations of any size in any sector, and for all content of long-term value. Developed in conjunction with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in the UK, and based...
Introducing the DPC RAM
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t control it.” Martin Robb, National Programme Manager, NDA I’ve heard this phrase several times since starting work on a digital preservation project with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority here in the UK. Colleagues at the NDA were very keen that as part of our two year project with them, we found an appropropriate way of measuring where they are now in their digital preservation journey and establishing a clear direction of travel. Maturity...
DPC Rapid Assessment Model introductory webinar
{guest}Members, please sign in to watch the recording{/guest} {!guest} {/guest} This members-only webinar introduces the DPC's newest member benefit - the Rapid Assessment Model (RAM). Topics include: how and why it was created who it is for how it should be used benefits for DPC members how to give feedback We are joined by DPC Members who have already applied the RAM. They share some observations about the model and how it might help them move forward with digital preservation...
Level up with DPC RAM
The DPC’s Rapid Assessment Model is a helpful tool for assessing an organization’s maturity with digital preservation. It allows you to consider both where you are currently and where you would like to be, and highlight gaps in your current digital preservation capacity. This resource is designed to help you work out how to address those gaps and move up the levels of RAM. For each of the 11 sections of RAM there are helpful tips, links to useful resources and case studies...
How often should DPC RAM be used?
DPC RAM has continuous improvement at its core! Though it can be used for a one-off exercise it is recommended that it is applied on a more regular basis to highlight progress or demonstrate where further resource is required. It has been designed to provide a rapid assessment of current capabilities so it should not be too onerous a task to apply it on a regular schedule. DPC Members will be encouraged to complete DPC RAM on an annual basis. "The DPC RAM was an easy...
How should DPC RAM be used?
Applying DPC RAM should be fairly straightforward but there are a few important things to note: The bulleted lists provided as examples within each of the sections are provided as illustrative examples only - you don’t have to tick them all off before you have attained a level. They may not all apply to the context in which you work, or you may have other things that you do that help you reach that level. Make an honest and realistic assessment which level best fits your current...
How long will it take to use DPC RAM?
The model is designed to be relatively quick and easy to use for any organization charged with preserving digital information for the long term. Some institutions have applied this model in less than 1 hour. For others it may take longer, particularly if wider consultation with a range of colleagues is required or if multiple streams of digital content are being assessed. Note that though establishing where your organization is using DPC RAM may be a relatively quick process, it...
Who can use DPC RAM?
DPC RAM can be used by any organization with a need to preserve digital information for the long term. It should be possible to apply it regardless of the sector in which you work or the type of information that is being preserved. The maturity levels are based on existing good practice and try to be agnostic to particular preservation strategies or approaches. DPC RAM for DPC Members Whilst the model is freely available for anyone to use, DPC Members will have the additional...
Who can use DPC RAM?
DPC RAM can be used by any organization with a need to preserve digital information for the long term. It should be possible to apply it regardless of the sector in which you work or the type of information that is being preserved. The maturity levels are based on existing good practice and try to be agnostic to particular preservation strategies or approaches. DPC RAM for DPC Members Whilst the model is freely available for anyone to use, DPC Members will have the additional...
What to do after DPC RAM
After completing your DPC RAM assessment you may want to follow up with some further activities: Share your assessment with colleagues and senior managers within your organization. A copy of the assessment can be used as a conversation starter to talk about where you are now and what areas would benefit from improvement. Use the results of your assessment as evidence within a business case for digital preservation as it will help to effectively illustrate gaps and priority...
The 'Capstone' email appraisal approach
Alexander Roberts is Digital Humanities Manager/Research Data Manager at Swansea University and attended iPRES2018 with support from the DPC's Leadership Programme which is generously funded by DPC Supporters Welcome to my second blog post relating to themes and projects which sparked my imagination as a result of attending iPres2018, the international digital preservation conference, last September in Boston, USA. As I mentioned in my previous blog post discussing...
Getting Started and Making Progress training modules
Face to face training is available on request for members. This page provides access to the training resources for the Getting Started and Making Progress courses. Getting Started with Digital Preservation 'Getting Started with Digital Preservation' introduces delegates to common digitial preservation concepts and issues before walking them through the firsts steps they can take to manage their digital assets. This includes bit-level preservation, assessing their digital preservation...