Digital Preservation: Needs in the RLG Community

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Digital PreservationNeeds in the RLG Community

• eLib Conference
• Information EcologiesThe Impact of New
  Information 'Species'
• York, 2-4 December 1998Nancy Elkington, Research
  Libraries Group

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Project Goals

• Develop and pre-test survey instrument
• Collect data on needs, accounting for
• diverse institutional types
• wide-ranging needs
• differing levels of expertise
• Use data to
• examine and evaluate existing models
• recommend preferred archiving model(s)
• develop guidelines in concert with others

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Defining Project Focus

• Limited to data about those materials for which
  your institution assumes responsibility for
  preservation
• Include those institutions currently not
  addressing digital preservation

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Summary of Results

• 54 surveys returned
• 9 European, 2 Canadian, 1 Australian
• 45 US
• 15 interviews completed
• Achieved broad representation
• Data analysis nearly complete

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Data Gathered

• Digital materials preservation policy
• Digital holdings (take responsibility)
• Formats of holdings
• Methods of preservation
• Digital knowledge/training
• Future needs for services training

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Institutions Acquiring Materials in Selected
Digital Formats
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Institutions with Digital Preservation Policies
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Formats Chosen for Archival Masters of
Converted Materials
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Preservation Methods
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Preferred Methods of Increasing
Staff Expertise
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Recommendations (for RLG)

• Compile a concrete set of guidelines, standards,
  and best practices for digital preservation
• Provide leadership and coordination in emerging
  standards and practices for digital preservation

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Recommendations(for institutions)

• Develop means to coordinate digital preservation
  activities within institutions
• Develop institutional policies for acquisition,
  conversion, storage, and maintenance of digital
  materials

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Recommendations(for service providers)

• Develop trusted services and tools to support
  digital preservation in critical areas of need

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Project Staff

• Margaret Hedstrom
• Associate Professor, School of
  Information, University of Michigan
• Sheon Montgomery
• Graduate Student Research Assistant, School
  of Information, University of Michigan
• Robin Dale
• RLG Program Officer

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Web Address for Report(forthcoming)
http//www.thames.rlg.org/preserv/
Executive Summary in RLG DigiNews (December
15 issue)
http//www.thames.rlg.org/preserv/diginews
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Status of Survey Project

• Survey to all RLG members (April-Aug '98)
• Interviews (May-June '98)
• Analysis (Sept-Nov '98)
• Dissemination (late Dec '98)
• Pursue recommendations (Jan-Jun '99)

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Digital PreservationNeeds Assessment

• Result of recommendation by the RLG
  Preservation Working Group on Digital Archiving
  (May 1996)
• 1 Recommendation Develop a survey instrument
  to gather and analyze data about needed
  services.

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Age of Oldest Digital Holdings
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Number of Different Digital Formats Held
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Desired Consortial Services
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