Digital continuity: current problems, ongoing trends and [Archives NZ

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Digital continuity current problems, ongoing
trends and Archives NZs solutions
Presentation for Auckland Recordkeeping Forum

• Evelyn Wareham
• Programme Manager, Digital Sustainability

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The Wild Frontier?

• Public records include
• Email
• Text messages
• Databases
• GIS
• Voice recordings
• Audiovisual recordings
• Websites
• Wikis, blogs, etc.

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Volume
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Formats
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Software

• Application software
• Operating System
• Display

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Data corruption
Only one bit of a Byte is corrupted in this image!
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Houston, we have a problem
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• 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?docip1
  _stf_report.pdf

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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)
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Open Archival Information OAIS
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Popular Myths? (Chris Rusbridge)

• Digital preservation is very expensive -- not
  compared to print preservation
• File formats become obsolete very rapidly --
  slower than thought
• Interventions must occur frequently so costs stay
  high less is more
• Digital preservation repositories should have
  very long timescale aspirations -- adjust to
  funding, prepare succession
• http//www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue46/rusbridge/
  (2006)

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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

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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

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Shift to Practical - InterPARES III
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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

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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)

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Shared Services for (Non-Archival) Information
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Integrated Digital RM and Archives - Korea
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Whats Archives New Zealand Doing?

• Digital Continuity is ensuring digital
  information remains available and useable for as
  long as it is needed
• New programme team
• Digital Continuity Strategy development (Budget
  07 support)
• Trialling Interim Digital Archive for digital
  archives
• Considering shared service possibilities

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Whats in a name?

• Digital sustainability
• Digital continuity
• Digital recordkeeping futures
• Digital archive
• Digital repository
• Digital library
• Digital preservation
• Digital curation

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Digital Continuity Strategy
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Digital Continuity Strategy

• A whole of government approach to a whole of
  government issue
• 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

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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.

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Draft Digital Continuity Strategy Draft Digital
Continuity Strategy

• Vision Information is trusted and accessible
  when it is needed, now and in the future.
• Goals
• Understanding
• Well-managed from Day One
• Infrastructure
• Significant Information Preserved
• Trusted Access
• Good Governance

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Next steps

• Wider consultation Sep-Nov 2008
• Review and make changes Dec 2008
• Final Strategy to Cabinet early 2009

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Archives NZ - Interim Digital Archive
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How the Interim Digital Archive Works
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Ingest and Normalisation
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Interim Digital Archive - Principles

• 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

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Dont forget!

• Its 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 dont 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?

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