Preserving Scientific Data @ the AMNH

Vicky Steeves | ARLIS-NY 2015

Itinerary 1. Current State of DigiPres + Science2. An Overview of the AMNH 3. Project Specifics

a. Timelineb. Methodologyc. Resultsd. Recommendations

NDSA Levels of Digital PreservationLevel 1:Protect Your Data

Level 2: Know Your Data

Level 3: Monitor Your Data

Level 4: Repair Your Data

Storage & Geographic Locations

File Fixity & Data Integrity

Information Security

Metadata

File Formats

USGS Levels of Digital PreservationLevel 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Storage & Geographic Locations

Data Integrity

Information Security

Metadata

File Formats

Physical Media

Digital Preservation in Science in the US

❏ North Carolina County Geospatial Data

❏ Caroline Dean Wildflower Collection

❏ FSU Biological Scientist, Dr. A.K.S.K. Prasad Diatomscapes I and II Collections Photographs

❏ FSU Department of Oceanography Technical Reports

source: http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/collections/

The AMNH

Vicky Steeves, AMNH

Vicky Steeves, AMNH

41 Curators & their scientific staff

over 33 million specimens in collections

Why Me @ the AMNH?

Review of SSC Report 2012 ● “Digital needs can be broken out into 3 parts:

○ Pure storage needs■ digital collections & research data

(Science)■ digital technology infrastructure■ HD video (Education, Exhibition)■ other data (Library, Photo Studio)

○ Interfaces to digital archives■ pointer management

○ Cataloguing digital collections & archiving■ naming conventions■ best practices by discipline or type”

“The most pressing science need in the near term is for pure storage of CT and genomics data.”

Project Timeline

Survey: Example

Survey Methodology

Survey: Example

vs

Project Timeline

Analysis Methodology

Analysis Methodology

NVivo Screenshots

Current Phase

Results: Outline of ChallengesTheme Participant Responses

Management Structure ● “I think only the division chair knows how much server space we have in total.”

Personnel Practices ● “My research assistants manage all my data.”

Interdepartmental Relationships ● “I don’t know where exactly to get support for my database. I don’t know if its IT’s jurisdiction or job.”

Workflow Structure ● “I have no time to standardize my data management.”

Technical Infrastructure ● “There are not enough computer terminals in the imaging lab.”

Results: Storage Projections

Results: Storage Mediums

Number of users per medium

Results: Management

Research Data Management Strategies:1. Scientific Staff/Assistant2. Curator themselves3. Research databases

Collections Data Management Strategies:4. Collections Databases per department5. KE EMu6. Paper Catalogue

Results: Preservation Risks

A CAT scan image of a Velociraptor skull.

http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/thenewgenetics/chapter1.html Fossil Insect Collaborative-Digitization Project | Facebook

Results: Preservation Steps

What the AMNH Needs

Vicky Steeves, AMNH

@VickySteeves

vsteeves@amnh.org