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

• 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

• 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. Understanding

2. Well-managed from Day One

3. Infrastructure

4. Significant Information Preserved

5. Trusted Access

6. Good Governance

Next steps

• Wider consultation Sep-Nov 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

Manage &preserve inrepository

NomaliseIdentify &validate

IdentifyIngest

Assign archival

metadata

DROIDJHOVE

XENA

Ingest and Normalisation

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

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?