How to use the Handbook

Applying it in practice

The needs of institutions regarding the digital materials they create and acquire vary considerably. This Handbook is intended to provide a bridge between broad, high level overviews and explicit, detailed guidelines applicable to the needs of a specific institution. The strategic overviews are intended to link to operational activities in order to reinforce the need to develop practical procedures grounded firmly in the business mission of the institution. The Handbook provides pointers to where to find further guidance and to assist in developing policies and practices which are most applicable to the individual institution.

Ideally, the Handbook should be used to help focus thoughts, increase overall understanding, promote training, and act as a catalyst for further action. Nothing will preclude the need for each organisation ultimately to commit the necessary resources to an action plan but this Handbook is intended to oil the wheels of that process.

Handbook resources

The Handbook is advocating an overall approach to preserving digital resources based on sound principles and policies rather than prescriptive formulae. As the crucial importance of digital preservation becomes more widely recognised, an increasing number of valuable sources of guidance are appearing at a rapid rate. While potentially incredibly valuable, their proliferation can make it bewildering to decide which ones are likely to be most applicable for a given situation.

By selecting key Resources and Case Studies in each section, the Handbook should make it easier to navigate through existing sources of advice, guidance and options. As well as pointing to existing sources of guidance, we have used a combination of decision tree, summary checklists, selected exemplars and case studies, and commentary. These are intended to stimulate and promote further thought and discussion but above all, to stimulate action by institutions to develop digital preservation management policies and strategies appropriate to their needs.

Resources have been grouped into categories and denoted by the following icons:

Publications	Tools	Web resources	Video and webinars	Case studies

Introductory overviews

The Handbook is intended for a wide and diverse audience, from those who are only beginning to consider managing digital materials to practitioners who have already accumulated considerable theoretical and/or practical experience. It has been written with the intention of allowing quick and easy access to the most appropriate sections.

Each section is preceded by an 'at a glance' guide to its intended primary audience, their assumed level of knowledge, and the purpose of the section. The table below will help you decide which sections are likely to be most relevant. to you. It is however not intended to be rigidly prescriptive and anyone wishing to, can of course read the Handbook in its entirety!

All readers are encouraged to read the Introduction.

The Glossary provides concise explanations of key concepts and definitions of acronyms and initials used by organisations and projects throughout the Handbook.

Recommended sections and audiences

Re-use of the Handbook

Re-use in English