FEATURE - Building Frameworks for Long-Term Digital Preservation


FEATURE Building Frameworks for Long-Term Digital Preservation by Ray Uzwyshyn — Digital preservation is one of the grand, necessary challenges of our times. Libraries are memory institutions and have unique roles as stewards in the preservation of our collective histories. Creating a long-term digital preservation infrastructure is a critical area of strategic development for all memory institutions. Information comes online, goes offline, and then disappears, sometimes forever. Future-proofing this knowledge is not just a 1-year management project, but it requires a long view and a framework for achieving results over time. ### Frameworks for Digital Preservation What exactly are long-term digital preservation frameworks? What models and best practices have libraries developed to meet the digital preservation challenge? This article defines and then focuses on the best practice framework for digital preservation currently implemented at Texas State University’s libraries through its digital preservation working group. We advocate for a structured approach. ### What Is Long-Term Digital Preservation Storage? University libraries, special collections units, and archives increasingly collect and gather information in both analog and digital formats. Well-known analog formats include books, paper-based archives, videotapes, and LPs. Digital formats include PC files, digital video media, data, and, increasingly, websites and email. Much of this information could benefit from digitization if it is in an analog format and longer-term digital storage and retrieval if it is already digital. Digital preservation storage for libraries is a very long-term consideration that goes way beyond standard IT department disaster recovery and regular records-retention mandates. It is a commitment to a larger and longer program that involves both human resources and budgetary allocations going forward. Complex ISO standards define needs for the audit and certification of trusted digital repositories and open archival digital information storage systems (ISO numbers 16363, 16919, 14721; see the Resources section for more information). Currently, there are only more than a handful of trusted repositories that completely meet these high benchmarking systems requirements. ### Three-Legged Stool Digital Preservation Model Pragmatically, most libraries that are pursuing digital preservation follow a three-legged stool model, originally suggested by Anne Kenney and Nancy McGovern in 2007. A solid foundation for digital preservation is built on a three-legged stool consisting of organization, technology, and resources. “Organization” leverages the respective institution’s existing human resources to build on its archival/stewardship expertise for the digital age.

** FEATURE**
Building Frameworks for Long-Term Digital Preservation
by Ray Uzwyshyn
— Digital preservation is one of the grand, necessary challenges of our times. Libraries are memory institutions and have unique roles as stewards in the preservation of our collective histories. Creating a long-term digital preservation infrastructure is a critical area of strategic development for all memory institutions. Information comes online, goes offline, and then disappears, sometimes forever. Future-proofing this knowledge is not just a 1-year management project, but it requires a long view and a framework for achieving results over time. ### ** Frameworks for Digital Preservation ** What exactly are long-term digital preservation frameworks? What models and best practices have libraries developed to meet the digital preservation challenge? This article defines and then focuses on the best practice framework for digital preservation currently implemented at Texas State University’s libraries through its digital preservation working group. We
advocate for a structured approach. ### ** What Is Long-Term Digital Preservation Storage? ** University libraries, special collections units, and archives increasingly collect and gather information in both analog and digital formats. Well-known analog formats include books, paper-based archives, videotapes, and LPs. Digital formats include PC files, digital video media, data, and, increasingly, websites and email. Much of this information could benefit from digitization if it is in an analog format and longer-term digital storage and retrieval if it is already digital. Digital preservation storage for libraries is a very long-term consideration that goes way beyond standard IT department disaster recovery and regular records-retention mandates. It is a commitment to a larger and longer program that involves both human resources and budgetary allocations going forward. Complex ISO standards define needs for the audit and certification of trusted digital repositories and open archival digital information storage systems (ISO numbers 16363, 16919, 14721; see the Resources section for more information). Currently, there are only more than a handful of trusted repositories that completely meet these high benchmarking systems requirements. ### **Three-Legged Stool Digital Preservation Model ** Pragmatically, most libraries that are pursuing digital preservation follow a three-legged stool model, originally suggested by Anne Kenney and Nancy McGovern in 2007. A solid foundation for digital preservation is built on a three-legged stool consisting of organization, technology, and
resources. “Organization” leverages the respective institution’s existing human resources to build on its archival/stewardship expertise for the digital age.

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