From Analog to From Analog to Digital: Changes in Digital: Changes in

PreservationPreservation

Gregor Trinkaus-RandallGregor Trinkaus-RandallDigital Commonwealth ConferenceDigital Commonwealth Conference

Worcester, MAWorcester, MAMarch 25, 2010March 25, 2010

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PreservationPreservation

“… “… protecting materials by protecting materials by minimizing chemical and physical minimizing chemical and physical deterioration and damage to deterioration and damage to minimize the loss of information and minimize the loss of information and to extend the life of cultural to extend the life of cultural property.” (property.” (A Glossary of Archival A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminologyand Records Terminology, p. 304, , p. 304, 2005)2005)

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PreservationPreservation

“… “… implementation of policies and implementation of policies and procedures for appropriate procedures for appropriate environmental conditions; handling environmental conditions; handling and maintenance during storage, and maintenance during storage, exhibition, packing, transport, and exhibition, packing, transport, and use; integration pest management; use; integration pest management; emergency preparedness and emergency preparedness and response; and reformatting and response; and reformatting and duplication.” (duplication.” (ibidibid., p. 309)., p. 309)

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Evolution of the Preservation of Evolution of the Preservation of Cultural ArtifactsCultural Artifacts

Binding documents into booksBinding documents into books– Moving from scrolls to books with hard Moving from scrolls to books with hard

coverscovers Copying documents to make more Copying documents to make more

than one copy (e.g. in monasteries)than one copy (e.g. in monasteries) Storing materials in dry locations and Storing materials in dry locations and

away from pests and other disastersaway from pests and other disasters Securing volumes to certain locations Securing volumes to certain locations

(e.g. Bodleian Library)(e.g. Bodleian Library)

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Evolution of the Preservation of Evolution of the Preservation of Cultural ArtifactsCultural Artifacts

Storage of collections in “fireproof” Storage of collections in “fireproof” facilitiesfacilities

Hand bindingHand binding ““Silking” (ca. 1900-1930)Silking” (ca. 1900-1930) Library bindingLibrary binding

– Over-sewing, side-sewing, smythe-Over-sewing, side-sewing, smythe-sewing, perfect binding, double-fanned sewing, perfect binding, double-fanned adhesive bindingadhesive binding

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Evolution of the Preservation of Evolution of the Preservation of Cultural ArtifactsCultural Artifacts

MicrofilmingMicrofilming Lamination (ca. 1930-1950)Lamination (ca. 1930-1950) Environmental standardsEnvironmental standards Development of acid-free/permanent Development of acid-free/permanent

paper (post-1960)paper (post-1960) Preservation photocopyingPreservation photocopying Polyester encapsulationPolyester encapsulation

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Evolution of the Preservation of Evolution of the Preservation of Cultural ArtifactsCultural Artifacts

DeacidificationDeacidification– Individual and massIndividual and mass

Traditional concerns Traditional concerns rere chemical, chemical, mechanical, and biological threatsmechanical, and biological threats

Disaster preparednessDisaster preparedness

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Information Density vs. Life Information Density vs. Life ExpectancyExpectancy

Years of Use Characters per Square Inch

10,0005,000

1,000 1,000

10050

300100

3015

5

50 50 40 40100

300900

4,80010,000

92,000

51,000,000

Clay TabletPapyrus

IlluminatedGutenberg

The WhaleNewspaper

MicrofilmMicrofiche

TapeDisk

Optical

1

10

100

1,000

10,000

100,000

1,000,000

10,000,000

100,000,000

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Digitization: Access or Digitization: Access or Preservation?Preservation?

AccessAccess– Clearer image than microfilm and easier Clearer image than microfilm and easier

to readto read– Potentially available to multiple users at Potentially available to multiple users at

one timeone time– Provides excellent surrogates of originalsProvides excellent surrogates of originals

Exhibitions, research, publicity, etc.Exhibitions, research, publicity, etc. Easily retrieved and manipulated, Easily retrieved and manipulated,

transmittable, and transportable from a transmittable, and transportable from a repository to the sites of research, repository to the sites of research, presentation, and teaching.presentation, and teaching.

Researchers’ expectations on availability of Researchers’ expectations on availability of materials in digital format increasing materials in digital format increasing

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Digitization: Access or Digitization: Access or Preservation?Preservation?

PreservationPreservation– Lessens use of originals?Lessens use of originals?– Long-term commitment to maintain filesLong-term commitment to maintain files

Technology, funding, equipment, personnel Technology, funding, equipment, personnel needs to maintain accessibility to filesneeds to maintain accessibility to files

– Serious concerns Serious concerns rere fragile materials as fragile materials as demands increase to have them in demands increase to have them in digital formatdigital format Need to consider preservation/conservation Need to consider preservation/conservation

requirements of originals prior to digitizationrequirements of originals prior to digitization

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Digital ChallengesDigital Challenges

– Storage mediaStorage media The newer the media, the less stable it The newer the media, the less stable it

is and the shorter its lifespanis and the shorter its lifespan– They are short lived relative to traditional They are short lived relative to traditional

format materialsformat materials– Can deteriorate rapidly, making the time Can deteriorate rapidly, making the time

frame for decisions and actions to prevent frame for decisions and actions to prevent loss is a matter of years, not decades.loss is a matter of years, not decades.

– Hardware and software Hardware and software obsolescenceobsolescence Inability to read older files using obsolete Inability to read older files using obsolete

software, media, and hardwaresoftware, media, and hardware

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Digital PreservationDigital Preservation

Digital preservation: “the planning, Digital preservation: “the planning, resource allocation, and application resource allocation, and application of preservation methods and of preservation methods and technologies necessary to ensure technologies necessary to ensure that digital information of continuing that digital information of continuing value remains accessible and value remains accessible and usable.” (Margaret Hedstrom) usable.” (Margaret Hedstrom)

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Digital PreservationDigital Preservation

““Digital preservation combines Digital preservation combines policiespolicies, , strategies,strategies, and and actionsactions to to ensure the accurate rendering of ensure the accurate rendering of authenticatedauthenticated content over time, content over time, regardless of the challenges of media regardless of the challenges of media failure and technological change. failure and technological change. Digital preservation applies to both Digital preservation applies to both born digital and reformatted born digital and reformatted content.” (ALA)content.” (ALA)

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Digital PreservationDigital Preservation

““Digital preservation Digital preservation policiespolicies document document an organization’s commitment to an organization’s commitment to preserve digital content for future use; preserve digital content for future use; specify file formats to be preserved specify file formats to be preserved and the level of preservation to be and the level of preservation to be provided; and ensure compliance with provided; and ensure compliance with standards and best practices for standards and best practices for responsible stewardship of digital responsible stewardship of digital information.” (ALA)information.” (ALA)

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ConclusionsConclusions

Preservation approaches and concerns Preservation approaches and concerns have changed over time based on the have changed over time based on the media and information to be preserved.media and information to be preserved.– Artifact and information or information Artifact and information or information

alone?alone? Digital preservation poses serious Digital preservation poses serious

challenges to the cultural world for a challenges to the cultural world for a variety of reasons not the least of variety of reasons not the least of which is its fragility.which is its fragility.