Digital SafeArchiving digital records for the long term

Neil Jefferies and David TomkinsBodleian Digital Library (BDLSS)

‘Digital preservation won’t do itself, won’t go away, and we shouldn't wait for perfection before we begin to act. Access to data in the future is not guaranteed without input now…’

William Kilbride, Future Arch Blog, 30 January 2012

Issues

• No real provision for consistent management or long-term preservation of electronic data

• The University Archives holds formal records but not necessarily in digital form, and is not designed to store the majority of outputs produced across the University

• Digital records are stored in an ad hoc manner all over the University by the departments and colleges which produced them

• The paperless office is not necessarily a cheap option

Solution

The Collegiate University needs a simple, easily accessible, cost effective, reliable electronic archive:

• Simple to use but able to cater for complexity

• Controllable and granular

• Integrity and availability of the material

• Security

• Cost-effective and reliable

Electronic Archive Pilot Project

• Phase 1: July 2012 – June 2013Information-gathering, scoping and review of other activities

• Phase 2: October 2013 – April 2014Development and testing of a digital preservation modelo Digital Safe-C (colleges)o Digital Safe-U (departments and other units)

• Interim phase: May 2014 – September 2014User-testing, development fixes and fund-finding

• Phase 3: October 2014 onwardCost-recovery model, roll-out and wider dissemination

Pilot Groups

• Digital Safe-C (colleges)o Keble Collegeo Magdalen College

• Digital Safe-U (departments and other units)o National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU)o University Administration and Serviceso University Archiveso Bodleian Electronic Archives and Manuscripts (BEAM)

• Bodleian Digital Library (BDLSS)o Custodial role – ‘steward’ rather than ‘owner’

Structure

Digital Safe-C: Keble

Digital Safe-C: Upload

Digital Safe-C: Metadata

• Title• Description• Creator(s)• ID Type• ID Value• Retention review date

• Retention rationale• Resource type• Technical description(s)• Covering date(s)• Finding aid(s)• Rights & licensing information

Digital Safe-C: Find

Digital Safehttp://digitalsafe.wordpress.com/