Transcript Document

Digital continuity: current problems, ongoing
trends and [Archives NZ’s] solutions
Presentation for Auckland Recordkeeping Forum
Evelyn Wareham
Programme Manager, Digital Sustainability
The Wild Frontier?
Public records include:
• Email
• Text messages
• Databases
• GIS
• Voice recordings
• Audiovisual recordings
• Websites
• Wikis, blogs, etc.
Volume
Formats
Software
• Application software
• Operating System
• Display
Data corruption
Only one bit of a Byte is corrupted in this image!
“Houston, we have a problem”
• “The preservation of authentic digital
records is a continuous process that begins
with the process of records creation and
whose purpose is to transmit authentic
records across time and space”
Interpares Strategy Task Force Report, Principle Four
http://www.interpares.org/display_file.cfm?doc=ip1_stf_report.pdf
A Brief History of Digital Continuity
1960s
Early digital archive programmes
1990s
Research (InterPARES I, Pittsburgh, Monash, etc.)
Post-custodialism and paradigm shifts
Awareness raising: “The lost decades”, “digital amnesia”
2000s
Digital recordkeeping programmes
Collaborative, intensified research (ErpaNet, PLANETS,
InterPARES II & III, DELOS)
Standards (OAIS, PREMIS, ADRI etc)
Open Archival Information OAIS
Popular Myths? (Chris Rusbridge)
1. Digital preservation is very expensive -- not compared to
print preservation
2. File formats become obsolete very rapidly -- slower than
thought
3. Interventions must occur frequently so costs stay high –
less is more
4. Digital preservation repositories should have very long
timescale aspirations -- adjust to funding, prepare
succession
• http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue46/rusbridge/ (2006)
Where Are We Now?
• International Congress on
Archives, Kuala Lumpur 2008
• Shift of focus to practice
• Many examples of digital
archives systems:
• Korea, Malaysia,
Switzerland, Netherlands,
France, Australia, etc
• Useful experiences to share
• Digital preservation =
community
Collaborative Research and Practice
• Archives, libraries, science /
research sectors, arts,
academics
• Preservation planning
services
• Methodologies, tools and
services
• Preservation action tools
• Testbeds and prototypes
• Aim for dissemination and
take-up
Shift to Practical - InterPARES III
Interesting Trends
• Out of the box software
• E.g. Safety Deposit Box (Tessella Support Services
and The National Archives UK)
• Malaysia
• Switzerland
• Netherlands and others
• Further developments for each
implementation
• Open source add-ons
Obstacles?
• Transfer a problematic concept
• Slow rates of transfer to established digital archives
• Most common transfers from last resort context
• Agencies keeping copies of records
• Mixed approaches to access
• Still an afterthought, with focus on preservation? (e.g. Swiss
handling of databases)
• Often access is through existing finding aids systems
• Agency access interface for direct transfers (e.g. France)
Shared Services for (Non-Archival) Information
Integrated Digital RM and Archives - Korea
What’s Archives New Zealand Doing?
• Digital Continuity is ensuring digital information
remains available and useable for as long as it is
needed
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New programme team
Digital Continuity Strategy development (Budget 07 support)
Trialling Interim Digital Archive for digital archives
Considering shared service possibilities
What’s in a name?
• Digital sustainability
• Digital continuity
• Digital recordkeeping
futures
• Digital archive
• Digital repository
• Digital library
• Digital preservation
• Digital curation
Digital Continuity Strategy
Digital Continuity Strategy
A whole of government approach to a
whole of government issue
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Mandated under the Digital Strategy 2.0 and supports
the Digital Content Strategy
Need common vision, approach and understanding of
roles
Interdepartmental strategic advisory group
Consultative process
Digital Continuity Strategy: Key Messages
• There when you need it. Information will be maintained as long
as needed. Some is needed only for a few months, some forever.
• Authentic and reliable. Information is tamper-proof and free of
technological rights restrictions. It can be trusted to be authentic
and reliable.
• Trusted access. New Zealanders can be confident that can find
and use information that is publicly available, and that their
sensitive information will be protected from unauthorised access.
• Do nothing, lose everything. If no action is taken, public sector
digital information will be lost. We need a proactive approach to
maintain information for the future.
Draft Digital Continuity Strategy Draft Digital Continuity
Strategy
• Vision: Information is trusted and accessible
when it is needed, now and in the future.
• Goals:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Understanding
Well-managed from Day One
Infrastructure
Significant Information Preserved
Trusted Access
Good Governance
Next steps
• Wider consultation SepNov 2008
• Review and make changes
Dec 2008
• Final Strategy to Cabinet
early 2009
Archives NZ - Interim Digital Archive
How the Interim Digital Archive Works
Refer
PRONOM
format registry,
TNA
Digital
Record
Analyse &
prepare
Assign
archival
metadata
Ingest
Identify
DROID
Identify &
validate
JHOVE
Nomalise
XENA
Manage &
preserve in
repository
Ingest and Normalisation
Interim Digital Archive - Principles
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Enables some transfers of public archives
Opportunity to learn and build capability
Minimal solution
Automation wherever possible
Manual supporting process acceptable
Open source
No direct online public access
Also used for digitised content
Don’t forget!
• It’s all about digital: The public records and archives of
today and tomorrow will be in digital formats. Archives New
Zealand is supporting digital continuity across the broader
public sector.
• Do nothing, lose everything: if we don’t actively
manage digital records and archives, we will have nothing in
the future.
• We need to work together: Archives New Zealand is
looking for partners to help trial new systems with real data
– are you interested?