Creators, who donate or deposit digital objects to the custody of the Library;
Content specialists, who appraise, select, acquire, manage, and curate digital objects;
Format specialists, who digitize or otherwise migrate content from one format to another for preservation and/or access purposes;
Metadata specialists, who ensure digital objects are described according to applicable standards in order to facilitate long-term access;
Preservation specialists, who advocate for the long-term preservation and access of digital objects by lending guidance and support to Content and Format specialists;
Technology specialists, who develop software, procure hardware, implement backup and replication policies and procedures, and conduct auditing and reporting of systems;
Digital Preservation Committee(?)
Digital Stewardship Team(?)
On This Page:
Scope of Digital Preservation Activities
Repository Activities
Acquisition and Appraisal: Criteria for materials to be preserved, tied to a repository's collection development policy. (Should include language regarding content, technical, staffing, and funding considerations)
Intake and Ingest:
Access and Use: A statement that addresses the concept of open access as well as levels of restriction; further, it addresses the likely inability to render the original digital artifact and that the effort will be made to deliver the best possible surrogate. (minimum expectations for maintaining accessibility and history/provenance of files) – 2nd part pertains to authenticity and integrity of files
Technical Activities
Archival file formats: Create recommended and preferred AIP file definitions by file types (i.e. image, textual, audio, video, numerical datasets) that includes internal structure criteria/definitions that should be present in AIP. Link to relevant representation information maintained in resource like PRONOM
Normalization and migration: identify file formats well-suited to Library’s approach to preservation and maintaining access. [charge a group to establish criteria and a process for monitoring and regularly evaluating, and if appropriate, migrate outdated/superseded file formats to new, recommended archival file formats. Should library commit to preserving superseded file formats? Should library commit to preserving Submission Information Packages (SIPs)?]
Bit stream copying: Data storage and backup software procedures and processes. Copy files into multiple locations to protect against accidental deletion, corruption or data loss. Create regular backup and manifestation reporting.
Fixity checking: generate, store and regularly test checksums (e.g. md5) for all archival files. Setup regular fixity checking/verification schedule. (If fixity test fails, group should create process for tracking reports and replace procedures using backup files to reinstate files’ integrity/validity).
Levels of Preservation
USU Libraries’ Digital Preservation Program will designate the appropriate level of preservation based on repositories collection development policy, what other criteria?
Bit-level preservation: baseline preservation. Repository committed to bit stream copying, fixity checking, and documentation of file formats. Every effort will be made to provide bit-level preservation for objects at this preservation level through local backups of data storage areas.
Full preservation: Upon ingest into the repository, the material will undergo file format identification and normalization/transformation to archival file formats. As time goes on, these formats will be monitored by staff, and should the criteria for format migration be met, the files will be migrated to a new format. In addition, all activities associated with the “Bit-level Preservation” preservation level will be carried out.
No preservation: Files that the Library is unable or unwilling to accept preservation responsibility. Although incidental preservation activities may take place upon this material, Library accepts no responsibility for its long-term accessibility or validity.
How does we determine and assign the Levels of Preservation?