The Twelve Principles of Digital Preservation (and a cartridge in a repository…). Christina Duffy.
British Library, Collection Care blog. 03 September 2013.
Following the library's strategic priorities are Twelve Principles of Digital Preservation. These principles define at a very high level how the library will approach the preservation of digital collections:
We integrate curatorial assessments of our digital collection content into preservation decisions, so that technical activities support curatorial requirements for the collections
- We preserve metadata about our digital collections, so that we may understand and preserve the collections over time
- We preserve the provenance of our digital collection content, so that we understand and can demonstrate its authenticity over time
- We record any modifications to digital collection content (e.g. preservation action, normalisation) during the lifecycle, so that we can understand and demonstrate its integrity over time
- We consistently apply and document our application of metadata standards, so that future generations can understand our collections
- We maintain file-level integrity of our digital collections, so that we can protect against loss and damage
- We preserve original files in our long term repository, alongside any other required representations of the content, so that we maintain the original artefacts acquired or deposited into our care as a ground truth representation of the content for future, currently unknown, preservation and access scenarios
- We maintain Preservation Master copies of collection content in our long term repository, so that the format-based risks of preservation over time are minimised
- We maintain and implement preservation plans for our digital collections, so that preservation actions are reliable and based on a holistic understanding of the collections and their context
- We implement comprehensive end-to-end workflows, so that we may consistently manage and preserve our digital collections across the entire lifecycle
- We regularly monitor our digital collection content for emergent preservation risks, so that we may mitigate against them
- We integrate quality assurance checks into the lifecycle where appropriate, so that the authenticity and integrity of the content is maintained
These Principles are the first output of a workstream dedicated to defining the Library’s digital preservation standards, which will help ensure the strategic priorities are met. Other activities include:
- collection profiling: provide top level descriptions and preservation direction for different types of digital collections
- risk and preservation condition assessment: for content temporarily stored outside of our long term digital repository
- file format assessment: define preferred preservation formats for different types of content
- tool assessment: evaluate the performance of different tools on library content so that evidence-based recommendations can be made on which tools to use in which context
- training: ensure colleagues across the library are aware of digital preservation responsibilities, requirements, and recommendations relevant whilst content is in their care
These principles define at a very high level how we as a Library will approach the preservation of our digital collections:
1.
We integrate curatorial assessments of our digital collection content
into preservation decisions, so that technical activities support
curatorial requirements for the collections
2. We preserve metadata about our digital collections, so that we may understand and preserve the collections over time
3. We preserve the provenance of our digital
collection content, so that we understand and can demonstrate its
authenticity over time
4. We record any modifications to digital
collection content (e.g. preservation action, normalisation) during the
lifecycle, so that we can understand and demonstrate its integrity over
time
5. We consistently apply and document our
application of metadata standards, so that future generations can
understand our collections
6. We maintain file-level integrity of our digital collections, so that we can protect against loss and damage
7. We preserve original files in our long term
repository, alongside any other required representations of the
content, so that we maintain the original artefacts acquired or
deposited into our care as a ground truth representation of the content
for future, currently unknown, preservation and access scenarios
8. We maintain Preservation Master copies of
collection content in our long term repository, so that the format-based
risks of preservation over time are minimised
9. We maintain and implement preservation
plans for our digital collections, so that preservation actions are
reliable and based on a holistic understanding of the collections and
their context
10. We implement comprehensive end-to-end
workflows, so that we may consistently manage and preserve our digital
collections across the entire lifecycle
11. We regularly monitor our digital collection content for emergent preservation risks, so that we may mitigate against them
12. We integrate quality assurance checks into
the lifecycle where appropriate, so that the authenticity and integrity
of the content is maintained
These Principles are
the first output of a workstream dedicated to defining the Library’s
digital preservation standards. More work is already underway to define
the policies that will be associated with each principle and, in turn,
the resulting requirements for meeting that policy. This workstream is
part of a larger programme of work being undertaken in digital
preservation to ensure our strategic priorities are met. Other
activities include:
• a collection profiling exercise to provide top level
descriptions and preservation direction for different types of digital
collections (eg e-theses, web archives, ebooks, AV material etc)
• a risk and preservation condition assessment exercise for
content temporarily stored outside of our long term digital repository
• a file format assessment exercise to define preferred preservation formats for different types of content
• a tool assessment exercise to evaluate the performance of
different tools on library content so that evidence-based
recommendations can be made on which tools to use in which context
• a training programme to ensure colleagues across the library
are aware of digital preservation responsibilities, requirements, and
recommendations relevant whilst content is in their care
-
See more at:
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/collectioncare/2013/09/the-twelve-principles-of-digital-preservation.html#sthash.y4lgHR40.dpuf
These principles define at a very high level how we as a Library will approach the preservation of our digital collections:
1.
We integrate curatorial assessments of our digital collection content
into preservation decisions, so that technical activities support
curatorial requirements for the collections
2. We preserve metadata about our digital collections, so that we may understand and preserve the collections over time
3. We preserve the provenance of our digital
collection content, so that we understand and can demonstrate its
authenticity over time
4. We record any modifications to digital
collection content (e.g. preservation action, normalisation) during the
lifecycle, so that we can understand and demonstrate its integrity over
time
5. We consistently apply and document our
application of metadata standards, so that future generations can
understand our collections
6. We maintain file-level integrity of our digital collections, so that we can protect against loss and damage
7. We preserve original files in our long term
repository, alongside any other required representations of the
content, so that we maintain the original artefacts acquired or
deposited into our care as a ground truth representation of the content
for future, currently unknown, preservation and access scenarios
8. We maintain Preservation Master copies of
collection content in our long term repository, so that the format-based
risks of preservation over time are minimised
9. We maintain and implement preservation
plans for our digital collections, so that preservation actions are
reliable and based on a holistic understanding of the collections and
their context
10. We implement comprehensive end-to-end
workflows, so that we may consistently manage and preserve our digital
collections across the entire lifecycle
11. We regularly monitor our digital collection content for emergent preservation risks, so that we may mitigate against them
12. We integrate quality assurance checks into
the lifecycle where appropriate, so that the authenticity and integrity
of the content is maintained
These Principles are
the first output of a workstream dedicated to defining the Library’s
digital preservation standards. More work is already underway to define
the policies that will be associated with each principle and, in turn,
the resulting requirements for meeting that policy. This workstream is
part of a larger programme of work being undertaken in digital
preservation to ensure our strategic priorities are met. Other
activities include:
• a collection profiling exercise to provide top level
descriptions and preservation direction for different types of digital
collections (eg e-theses, web archives, ebooks, AV material etc)
• a risk and preservation condition assessment exercise for
content temporarily stored outside of our long term digital repository
• a file format assessment exercise to define preferred preservation formats for different types of content
• a tool assessment exercise to evaluate the performance of
different tools on library content so that evidence-based
recommendations can be made on which tools to use in which context
• a training programme to ensure colleagues across the library
are aware of digital preservation responsibilities, requirements, and
recommendations relevant whilst content is in their care
-
See more at:
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/collectioncare/2013/09/the-twelve-principles-of-digital-preservation.html#sthash.y4lgHR40.dpuf
