Digital Preservation Planning: Just Do It!

Digital Preservation Planning Just Do It!

Kristine Bunnell Valarie Kingsland

Lisa C. Krynicki Neva Reece Rachel Seale

Digital Preservation Outreach and Education (DPOE)

Introductions

Kristine Bunnell - Anchorage

Lisa C. Krynicki, Esq. - Fairbanks

Valarie Kingsland - SJSU SLIS - Seward

Neva Reece - North Star School Library - Anchorage

Rachel Seale - UAF Rasmuson Library - Fairbanks


Agenda

• About LOC DPOE

• About Digital Preservation

• Module 1: Identify

• Module 2: Select

• Module 3: Store

• Overview Modules 4-6

• Questions and Comments


LOC DPOE Train the Trainer

• August 2013

• Three day workshop

• UAF Rasmuson Library

• 24 participants

• Intense curriculum

• Notable leadership


http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/education/ttt.html



What is Digital Preservation?

Digital preservation is the active management of digital content over time to ensure ongoing access.

The National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) is implementing a national strategy to collect, preserve and make available significant digital content, especially information that is created in digital form only, for current and future generations.


Why Digital Preservation?

• Digital content is abundant.

• It’s easy to put it off.

• Digital disasters happen.

• No one thinks it will happen to them.

• Start planning today.


Digital Disasters

• Loss of data

• Data corruption - Bit rot

• Changes in technology

• Software

• Formats

• Inaccessibility


DPOE’s Mission

“...is to foster national outreach and education to encourage individuals and organizations to actively preserve their digital content, building on a collaborative network of instructors, contributors, and institutional partners.”


DPOE Baseline Modules

1. Identify - What digital content do you have?

2. Select - What portion of that content will be preserved?

3. Store - What issues are there for long term storage?

4. Protect - What steps are needed to protect your digital content?

5. Manage - What provisions are needed for long-term

management?

6. Provide - What considerations are there for long-term access?


identify

select

store

protect

manage

provide

Managing Content Over Time


Objectives

• Provide an overview of first three modules for digital content management

• Suggest concrete steps for each stage

• Recommends additional sources to consult

• Provide contact information for Alaska DPOE Trainers

• Make connections and start planning!


Module 1: Identify

Version: AK Awesome – 2/28/14


Modules

Identify - what digital content do you have?

Select - what portion of that content will be preserved?

Store - what issues are there for long term storage?

Protect - what steps are needed to protect your digital content?

Manage - what provisions are needed for long-term management?

Provide - what considerations are there for long-term access?


Why do we identify content?

• Preservation requires an explicit commitment of resources

• Effective planning is based on knowing the extent of what will be preserved

• Identifying content is a first step to planning for current and future preservation needs

• Not all digital content in and around an organization will be preserved

An explicit inventory is the best way to identify content


How will an inventory help?

Good preservation decisions are based on an understanding of the possible content to

be preserved

The Identify stage addresses:

“what content do I (or will I) have?”


Where is your inventory?

Is your inventory even digital?

Inventory Considerations

•Inventory content more important than style and format

•Inventory results should be:

– Documented: an inventory needs to be captured

– Usable: simple format to sort, list, etc.

– Available: accessible to team, managers, others

– Scalable: content will be added during Select

– Current: update periodically


Inventory Tips

•Use available, familiar software to get started

– What software or tools do you already have?

– What free or open source tools might be useful?

•Be consistent, comprehensive, and concise


Inventory Scope Questions about our content or resources:

• What digital content do we currently have?

• We already preserving?

• Do/will our producers create?

• Are we required to keep?

• Do we need to review?

• Will help us do our jobs?

• Will help plan/preserve our communities?

• Will tell our story?


CityView Historic Properties Module

• Available as ArcInfo GIS file

• Facilitates access to and research for potential impacted properties and cultural resources

• Valuable information when Area of Potential Effect is defined

• Context Sensitive Design Process for historic properties and historic districts

Level of Detail • Inventories can be general to detailed

•Determine appropriate level of detail for you

•Factors in determining level of detail:

– Extent of content to be inventoried

– Nature and location of content to be inventoried

– Resources available to complete inventory

– Timeframe, deadlines for completing inventory


Content Categories Inventories should include all relevant, e.g.:

•Institutional records

•Special collections

•Scholarly content

•Maps, Surveys, Reports, Meetings

•Web content


Format Types Include format types in inventory information • Images • Video • Audio • Text • Maps/geospatial • Drawings • Web content • Structured data


File-level Tools

Tools are available to help you determine characteristics of your files (DPOE resources):

– Look around for tools to help you and that will stand the test of time

– Results will contribute information needed for the Select stage


Date Considerations

Inventories should note:

•Date of inventory – and updates to it

•Date of files – when possible

•Dates covered in content – even approximate

•Date created/received – if relevant, possible


Location Issues

Locations of content are important – consider:

•Method to specify online/offline location

•General location – e.g., with us, with creator

•Ability to change locations as content moves

•Method storage systems use to note location

Be clear enough without going to extremes…


Identify Outcomes

• Identify potential digital content you may need to preserve

• Treat the inventory as a management tool that grows as your program grows


Identify Outcomes

•Use it as a planning tool to prepare

– e.g., staff, training, annual growth

•Provides a basis for acquiring content, defining submission agreements, plans, requests for proposals, developing and acquiring new digital data!


Modules








Module 2: Select

Presented by Neva Reece


Why select content to preserve?

• Storage may be cheap, management is not

… especially over time

• Quality of content

• Discovery and dissemination services

… scale, scope, performance, sustainability

• Matching mission to content


Terms for Select

Different terms in different domains:

• Archives – appraisal and scheduling

• Libraries – e.g., selection

• Museums – e.g., acquisition

But there are common outcomes


Steps

• Review your potential digital content

• Define and apply selection criteria

• Document (and preserve) selection decisions

• Implement your decisions


Priorities

If you need to prioritize your review, consider:

• Most significant (producer, content)

• Most extensive

• Most requested

• Easiest (e.g., most familiar)

• Oldest (possible historical importance)

• Newest (possible immediate interest)

• Mandate (local, legislation, etc.)


Selection Criteria

• Acquisition or collection development policy

• Departmental criteria (priorities, precedents)

• Core record/content types (need no review)

• Research criteria (interests, significance)

• Uniqueness (only source)

• Value (historical, evidential, can’t reproduce)

• Preserved elsewhere (avoid duplication)


Considerations during Review

Stop if or when the answer is ‘no’…

1. Content

– does the content have value?

– does it fit your scope?

2. Technical

– is it feasible for you to preserve the content?

3. Access

– is it possible to make the content available?


Project Management

• Treat selection as an ongoing structured project to plan and coordinate the process

• Contact content creators (as needed)

– Arrange a convenient time for them

– Prepare brief statement of outcomes

– Identify list of materials to review with them

– Send a reminder before the meeting

– Document the results and send them a copy


Skills and Experience

May benefit from a team-based approach

• Analytical skills – Review and understand content

– Determine relationships and significance

– Make sound and consistent judgments

• Interpersonal skills

– Communicate clearly and compellingly

• Technical Skills – Determine feasibility of preservation and access


Documentation

Supplement inventory from Identify

• Descriptions – more granular – Not item level, but enough to specify categories

• Extent – How much content is there/will there be?

• Use – When will content no longer be active?

• Rights – Who owns rights to preserve and disseminate?


Select Outcomes

Possible products of selecting content:

• Expanded inventories of content to preserve

• Agreements with producers: e.g., retention schedules, acquisition lists, submission agreements

Objective:

• Gain control of possible content for planning

• Develop a sustainable program


Managing Digital Content over

Time:

Store Module

Lisa C. Krynicki

Rachel Seale


Modules







DPOE Baseline Modules: Identify, version 2.0, Nov 2011

What are storage needs?



Archival Storage manages content as objects



Digital content (files + metadata = object)

•May include any type of content

–e.g., images, text, sound, video, maps


• Requires some identification and description

(Captured as metadata)

File

Metadata Object

Well-managed Collections


Well-managed Collections

Well-managed status makes preservation easier.

Sample characteristics of well-managed collections:

•Basic information about each deposit

•Minimal metadata for objects (you define)

•Common (or normalized) file formats

•Controlled and known storage of content

•Multiple copies in at least 2 locations


File Type Considerations

• Sustainability of digital

formats

• Disclosure (complete

technical specifications

are accessible)

• Adoption (extent of

acceptance)

• Transparency

(openness to direct

analysis without

proprietary tools)

• Self-documentation

(inclusion of metatdata)

• External dependencies

(on particular OS,

software or hardware)

• Impacts of patents or

license

SOURCE: http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/

Importance of Metadata

• How do you know what an object is?

− Metadata uniquely identifies digital objects

• How do you use content in the future?

– Metadata makes digital objects

understandable

• How do you know an object is authentic?

– Metadata allows objects to be traced over

time

Metadata enables long-term preservation


Preservation Metadata Content (what), Fixity (unchanged), Provenance (life story),

Reference (this thing), Context (relationships)

Administrative

(manage) Structural

(understand,

use)

Descriptive

(find, use)

Object-level Metadata

Diagram courtesy DPM Workshops


Object Metadata Characteristics

Content: preserve the substance

Fixity: demonstrate content is unchanged

Provenance: trace to its origin (or to deposit)

Reference: identify as this content and no other

Context: preserve linkages with other objects


Original source: Preserving Digital Information Report, 1996

Preservation Metadata

Content (what), Fixity (unchanged), Provenance

(life story), Reference (this thing), Context

(relationships)

Metadata schemas and element sets

•Dublin Core

•EAD – Encoded Archival Description

•METS – Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard


Number of Copies

How many copies are enough for you?


Minimum: two (2) copies in two location

Optimum: six (6) copies

Number of Copies

In separate locations


Examples of storage factors:

• Video files are too large to

store six copies

• Possible legal restrictions (e.g.,

storage locations)

• Types of media used for storing

the content


Storage Media Options

•Content (objects) are kept on storage media

•Options include: online, near-line, offline

•Factors for choosing options include

•Cost (available resources for preservation)

•Quantity (size and number of files)

• Expertise (skills required to manage)

•Partners (achieving geographic distribution)

• Services (outsourcing)


Storage Considerations

• Multiple, geographically distributed copies • Storage Partners • Hosted services, e.g.

This is a service to make it easy for

organizations to use cloud services to manage

content over time


Repository Selection

If you decide to use (build, join, buy) a repository

•Range of types to consider:

–general (any content) to special (format-specific)

–open source to proprietary

–easy to advanced installation and management

•Each option has pros and cons

•No system is fully compliant to standards

Select best option for your content – for now


Digital Preservation Necessities

•Develop a storage management policy •Number of copies, location, fixity, migration, etc.

•Specify storage service or partnership agreements

•Monitor copies periodically for content errors, change, degradation, or damage

•Plan for periodic media replacement

•Plan for periodic storage need increases


Resources • Metadata for digital collections : a how to-do-it manual / Steven J. Miller (How-

to-do-it manuals ; no. 179). ISBN 978-1-5557-746-0

• "Understanding Metadata," National Information Standards Organization, 2004 http://www.niso.org/publications/press/UnderstandingMetadata.pdf

• "Planning for Digital Preservation: 20 Questions for Providers of Digital Storage Services," Bernard Reilly, Center for Research Libraries http://www.nedcc.org/assets/media/documents/QuestionstoAskProvidersofDigitalStoragefinal.pdf

• “Distributed Digital Preservation in the Cloud,” David S. H. Rosenthal, Daniel L. Vargas, LOCKSS Program. http://www.lockss.org/locksswp/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IDCC2013.pdf

• "File Formats and Guidelines,” Harvard University Office for Information Systems, September 2009 http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/digpres/guidance.html


http://www.niso.org/publications/press/UnderstandingMetadata.pdf

http://www.niso.org/publications/press/UnderstandingMetadata.pdf

http://www.nedcc.org/assets/media/documents/QuestionstoAskProvidersofDigitalStoragefinal.pdf




http://www.lockss.org/locksswp/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IDCC2013.pdf



http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/digpres/guidance.html

Review Valarie Kingsland


Today’s Modules

1. Identify - what digital content do you have?

Define the digital content within the scope of responsibility.

2. Select - what portion of that content will be preserved?

Specify the digital content you need/want to preserve.

3. Store - what issues are there for long term storage?

Establish requirements for storing files in preservation formats.

Determine (and review) your best option for storing your content.


Module 4 - Protect

Protect - What steps are needed to protect your digital content?

Ensure that your content is secure during day-to-day activities.

Work to ensure that your content is prepared for an emergency.


Module 5 - Manage

Manage - What provisions are needed for long-term management?

Develop (and review) plans for managing content over time.

Use policies to contain and develop your preservation program.


Module 6 - Provide

Provide - What considerations are there for long-term access?

Remember that long-term access is the purpose of preservation.

make sure that means to deliver content to users remains current.


Identifying Next Steps

• Think about your current situation

• Write down the top 2 or 3 things you think you most need to do – not more than 3

• For each one, think through: • Who you might work with at your organization or with a

colleague/friend somewhere else

• Challenges you might face and ways to address those

• How much time you might need (available time)

• What the specific outcome will be

• Pick the one to start with

DPOE Baseline Modules: Wrap Up, version 2.0, Nov 2011

Resources

DPOE Train the Trainer Workshops http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/education/ttt.html

Atlas of Digital Damages http://www.atlasofdigitaldamages.info/v1/

NDCC Free Resources for Digital Preservation

http://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/digital-preservation

ALCTS Preservation Week, April 27 - May 3

http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/preswk

Preservation Basics for Paper and Media Collections http://unfacilitated.preservation101.org/loggedin.asp





http://www.atlasofdigitaldamages.info/v1/













http://unfacilitated.preservation101.org/loggedin.asp

http://unfacilitated.preservation101.org/loggedin.asp

Questions Comments Feedback

The perfect is the enemy of the good.

~ Voltaire


Thank You for joining us!

Kristine Bunnell Valarie Kingsland Lisa C. Krynicki Neva Reece Rachel Seale


Technology

Digital Preservation Planning: Just Do It!