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Managing Digital Content Over Time
Sarah Grimm, WHSEmily Pfotenhauer, WiLS
Slides and handouts: recollectionwisconsin.org/waal2013
Supported by WHRAB
Managing Digital Content Over Time:
Identifying Content
Supported by WHRAB
DPOE Mission
The mission of the Digital Preservation Outreach and Education (DPOE) program of the Library of Congressis to encourage individuals and organizations to actively preserve their digital content, building on a collaborative network of instructors, contributors, and institutional partners.
Six Training ModulesIdentify - what digital content do you have? Select - what portion of that content will be
preserved? Store - how should your content be stored
for the long term? Protect - what steps are needed to protect
your digital content? Manage - what provisions are needed for
long-term management? Provide - how should your content be made
available over time?
What is Digital Content?Digital content is any content that is
published or distributed in a digital form, including text, data, sound recordings , photographs and images, motion pictures, and software.◦ Digital materials created from analog
sources◦ Born-digital content
Digital materials you currently have or create – or expect to have – that you want to preserve.
What’s the Problem?Increasing amounts of digital
assets are arriving on our doorstep
The digital assets arrive in all formats and on all formats
Time sensitive - the longer we wait or the longer our donors wait the increased chance that something will be unreadable
Digital Reality in 2013 Everyone is
◦creating digital content ◦distributing digital content ◦using digital content
And we are responsible for managing digital content now or expecting to in the near future
What are the Challenges?
Who takes the lead?What can I do?Where do I start?
The impedimentsToo complex (I don’t understand...)Too daunting (I don’t have time...)Too technical, etc. (Computers scare me...)
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Digital Preservation
Digital preservation combines policies, strategies and actions to ensure access to reformatted and born digital content regardless of the challenges of media failure and technological change. The goal of digital preservation is the accurate rendering of authenticated content over time. Working group on Defining Digital Preservation, ALA Annual Conference, 6/24/2007
Why Do We Identify Content?Not all digital content can or should be
preserved
Preservation requires an explicit commitment of resources
Good preservation decisions are based on an understanding of the possible content to be preserved
First Steps• Identifying content is a first step to planning
for current and future preservation needs
• Ask: what content do I have, will I have,might I have, must I have?
An inventory is the best way to identify what content you have now – and raise awareness
in your institution.
Does your institution have an inventory of your digital content?
If not, do you need permission to begin an
inventory project?
Inventory ConsiderationsInventory content more important
than style and format Inventory results should be:
◦Documented: an inventory should actually exist
◦Usable: use a simple format to sort, list, etc.
◦Available: accessible to others◦Scalable: content will be added
during Select◦Current: update periodically
Inventory Tips Don’t let implementing the
software become the focus. Use software you know and have
availableStick with a single format; don't
change once you've decided on it.
Be consistent, comprehensive, and concise
How Much Detail to IncludeInventories can be general to detailed Determine appropriate level of detail
for youFactors in determining level of detail:
◦Extent of content to be inventoried◦Nature & location of content ◦Resources available to complete
inventory◦Timeframe & deadlines for
completion
What Do You Have? Identify collections of digital
materials.
Provide a brief title and description
Estimate growth over time ***
Who Manages It? Department – currently
managing the collection/digital content
Staff – primary people responsible
Creator (Internal or External) – who created the digital content
What does it consist of?Medium (6cds, 1 hard drive)
Extent = Format + Amount (600 .pdfs, 30 .doc)
File Size – (MB, GB, TB)
http://www.csgnetwork.com/memconv.html
Date Considerations
Inventories should note:• Date of inventory and updates to it• Dates associated with the content
(18721901)• Date of files – created or modified
(2009)• Date received – if relevant / possible
(2010)
Content LocationLocations of content are important :• List primary locations (Network
drive location, Storage device, Bob’s shelf• List locations of all backups/copies
(CDs in the storage room, weekly backup tapes)
Remember to change locations as content moves
Analyze the ResultsWhen the inventory is complete, ask yourselves what digital content
◦ do we have that we didn’t know about?
◦ should we be keeping that we aren’t now?
◦ will we create or likely acquire in the future?
◦ are we required to keep? ◦ do we need to review?
GoalsIdentify potential digital content you
may need to preserve Treat the inventory as a
management tool that grows as your preservation program grows
Use it as a planning tool – e.g., to prepare staff, training, annual growth
Use as a basis for acquiring content, defining submission agreements, plans
Managing Digital Content Over Time:
Selecting Content to Preserve
Supported by WHRAB
Six Training ModulesIdentify - what digital content do you have? Select - what portion of that content
will be preserved? Store - how should your content be stored
for the long term? Protect - what steps are needed to protect
your digital content? Manage - what provisions are needed for
long-term management? Provide - how should your content be made
available over time?
Why select content to preserve?
Log jam on the St. Croix River, 1886Wisconsin Historical Society WHi-2364
● Cost: storage may be cheap, management is not…especially over time
● Discovery and dissemination services: scale, scope, performance, sustainability
● Quality of content may be variable
● Matching mission to content
Why select content to preserve?
Basic StepsReview your potential digital
content (go back to inventory)Define - then apply -
selection criteriaDocument (and preserve)
selection decisions Implement your decisions
(Store, Protect, Manage, and Provide modules)
Picking fruitWisconsin Historical Society WHi-67733
What criteria should be used to select digital content for preservation?
Postal workers sorting mail, 1955Wisconsin Historical Society WHi-36392
Selection Criteria
Mission: Scope of Collections, Collecting Policies
Records retention manuals/policies (internal or externally mandated)
Legal & ethical requirements (professional bodies; your stakeholders; future users)
Uniqueness (only source or preserved elsewhere? Avoid duplication)
Value (historical, evidential, can’t reproduce?)
Practical ConsiderationsStop if or when the answer is NO● Content
– Does the content have long-term value?
– Does it fit your scope and mission?● Technical
– Is it feasible for you to preserve the content?
● Access – Is it possible to make the content
available? – Are you the only holder of this
content?
Setting PrioritiesAsk yourself which digital content is● most significant to your organization?● most extensive?● most requested/used?● easiest?● oldest?● newest?● mandated? ● at risk?
Include Creators in the Process
● Communication is key, particularly when content comes from external creators
● Keep content creators in the conversation● Arrange a convenient time for them
to talk about your preservation plans
● Identify list of materials to review with them
● Document the results and send them a copy
Selection Documentation
Supplement your inventory with more detailed information about the material you plan to preserve over the long term.
Use◦ What’s the lifespan of the content? ◦ Will its value/use change over time?◦ Retention period
Access and rights Access
◦ How will the public access the content?
◦ Is access restricted? How? For how long?
Rights ◦ Who owns the rights to preserve
and disseminate?
Prioritizing Data criticality
◦ Is it only in digital form? Do we hold the only copy?
Business/mission criticality◦ If we lose it, what’s the damage to
our reputation? How will it impact our function or services?
Goals/Outcomes• Expanded inventory of content to preserve
…and what you can delete (gray areas identified)• Agreements with content creators e.g.
submission agreements, retention schedules• Well-defined and documented selection
criteria, policies and procedures • Better understanding of content for future
planning and growth
Greater knowledge = greater control!
Identify and Select in Practice“You’ve Got to Walk Before You Can Run: First Steps for Managing Born-Digital Content Received on Physical Media”Ricky Erway, OCLC Researchhttp://www.oclc.org/content/dam/research/publications/library/2012/2012-06.pdf
Four Essential PrinciplesDo no harmDon’t do anything that prevents
future action and useTake actionDocument what you do
A Typical Scenario
Digital materials on physical media (CDs, flash drives, floppy disks, etc.) have been stored along with other collection materials without having been copied, preserved, or made accessible.
Inventory1. Survey your holdings2. Count and describe digital media
within collection3. Remove media from collection
(retain order with photographs or separator sheets)
4. Assign inventory numbers5. Calculate amount of data6. Re-house physical media in
suitable storage
SelectPrioritize for further treatment (e.g. migration, online access) based on:Significance and use of overall
collectionDanger of loss of content
(degradation)Replication in analog formValue of digital vs. analog formatQuantity of digital content