Preservation and documentation of digital data

1

• Preservation and documentation of digital data
• a very informal presentation
• Digital data
• Digital archaeology
• Digital archiving

William Kilbride wgk1_at_york.ac.uk
2
Digital Data
Strategies for Digital Data Findings and
Recommendations from Digital Data in Archaeology
A Survey of User Needs
Cadw
English Heritage
Historic Scotland
RCHME
RCAHMW
DoENI
The Heritage Council
RCAHMS
3
Digital Data
The projected growth in the use of computers in
British archaeology
4
Digital Data
The present state of digital archiving in
archaeology
The popularity of certain storage options
5
Digital Data
The present state of digital archiving in
archaeology
The popularity of typical strategies for
protecting physical media
6
Digital Data
In short, the archaeological record could be
decaying faster in its digital form than it ever
did in the ground and then there was Newham
7
Digital Archaeology

• The Newham Archive contained
• 6432 individual files
• 1500 excavation reports (or parts)
• 700 database files
• 1200 geophysics files
• 200 separate projects
• approx. 150 excavations

8
Digital Archaeology

• The Newham Archive
• Physical Media not the main problem
• Software problems (migration)
• Data to information (documentation)
• Plan for re-use
• Forward planning is much cheaper

9
Digital Archiving

• Digital Archive Pilot Project Excavation Records
  (DAPPER)
• what to document in an archive
• IPR
• Standards used in recording / creation
• Technical specifications
• Expand your short-hand!

10
Digital Archiving
Digital Archive Pilot Project Excavation Records
(DAPPER) what to document in an archive
Dont confuse preservation documentation with
resource discovery metadata
11
Digital Archiving

• Digital Archive Pilot Project Excavation Records
  (DAPPER)
• Finding levels for digital archives
• Appropriate archival levels
• Index Level Archive
• Assessment Level Archive
• Research Archives
• Integrated Archives
• An ongoing debate (watch this space!)

12
Digital Archiving

• In conclusion
• five steps for digital preservation
• Back-up
• Secure access
• Documentation of project
• Migration of files or emulation of
  platforms
• Refreshment of media

13
The project is dead ...long live the project
William Kilbride wgk1_at_york.ac.uk ads.ahds.ac.uk