Yale
University Library
Digital
Preservation Committee
Long-term
access to digital collections through systematic preservation is a strategic
goal for Yale University Library.
The practice of storing human knowledge in electronic formats has forever changed the way librarians and archivists think about the collection and preservation of the cultural record. In contrast to our lengthy experience with paper documents, today we face new challenges as we safeguard from technological obsolescence and media decay the integrity of digital assets. The University Library aggressively creates and acquires electronic collections, but these holdings are as vulnerable as sand castles on a beach unless protected by a digital preservation program. Access to digital objects is as short lived as the next technological wave. Technology waves therefore are a direct challenge to the Library's mission to be a custodian of human knowledge. To remain a good steward of the cultural record the Library must establish a digital preservation infrastructure. (Paraphrased from: Integrated Access Objectives Planning Report to LMC, 21 Sep 2002, http://www.library.yale.edu/lmc/public/Integrated%20Access%20OPG%20Report%20(Intro)%2009.25.02.pdf .
With the
establishment of the Digital Preservation Committee, the Integrated Access
Council is sponsoring a 36-month planning and development process to achieve
this end.
Charge:
The charge
to the Digital Preservation Committee is to develop a preservation program that
ensures digital information of continuing value will remain persistent,
accessible and usable. The committee will evaluate, compile, document and
articulate policies, procedures, best practices and systems in order to
establish a digital preservation infrastructure at Yale University
Library. The Committee will work from a
base of clearly articulated policies, then will focus on preservation program
planning and, finally, will make recommendations for implementation through
digital preservation projects, initiatives, and system development.
The
preservation framework developed by the DPC will:
-
Promulgate
preservation policies, procedures and best practices for the following:
o institutional standards governing
the quality, type and source of digital assets to be archived in the repository
o core preservation metadata elements
to be used to manage digital resources of all kinds (as developed by the IAC
Metadata Committee)
o a scheme for managing whole classes
of digital objects with differing life cycles and access requirements
o commitments
to preserving digital objects themselves and all the information required to
authenticate, understand, present, and manage them,
o digital migration strategies;
emulation of hardware and software platforms; data recovery
o the integration of the digital
preservation program among the Library's core services.
-
Identify
and determine compliance with current and emerging standards embraced by the
preservation community, (e.g., Open Archival Information System (OAIS)
standard),
-
Establish
a business model for an affordable and sustainable program,
-
Articulate
implications of implementing the preservation policies and program, assign
preservation priorities based upon clear and available guidelines.
-
Working
with the ILTS, ITS and other departments as needed, identify suitable hardware,
software, expertise and techniques for long-term, mass storage of digital
assets,
-
Establish
appropriate security and rights management guidelines.
The DPC
will serve as a focal point for digital preservation in the University Library.
The Committee will act as a liaison to the Library's and external digital
preservation projects and initiatives including: LOCKSS, ERA, Fedora, institutional repositories research project,
the IAC Metadata Committee, PREMIS, METS, Format Registry, etc.
The DPC
will also address and establish training and outreach mechanisms for testing,
implementation and adoption of these policies, procedures and best practices.
The
DPC will raise the awareness and interest in digital life cycle and
preservation concerns by developing information sessions open to Yale faculty
and staff regarding developments such as rights management, format registries,
persistent naming. It will also report
to the IAC on a quarterly basis.
Timeframe:
The IAC is
establishing a 3-year planning and development process.
Deliverables:
The
expectation is that the DPC's work will evolve over time. The DPC will
establish an annual project plan that identifies deliverables for the upcoming
12 months. Deliverables for the first
year include:
- A digital preservation mission
statement.
- The publication of a digital
preservation policy statement.
- The publication of a road map to a
digital preservation program.
- Time lines for digital
preservation projects, initiatives, and implementation strategies.
- A project plan for year 2.
Membership:
The
expectation is that a small group of University staff will constitute the core
of the Digital Preservation Committee. These individuals will participate in
this committee for the entire 3-year period.
Additional members may be added to the committee each year.
Co-Chairs:
Ann Green, ITLS/ITS
Audrey Novak, ITLS
Bobbie Pilette, Preservation
Membership:
David Gewirtz,
AM&T/Library Group
Kevin Glick, MSS&A
Nicole Bouche, Beinecke
Level
of effort from DPC members:
The
expectation is that the level-of-effort will change throughout the life of the
DPC. Level-of-effort for members during
the first year are:
Co-chairs: Should expect to commit about 8% of their time.
Members: Should expect to commit about 5% of their
time.