Digital Preservation Coalition

Digitisation Programme Digital Preservation Study

In 2009, DPC with University of London Computer Centre and Portico carried out an extensive analysis for the JISC Digitisation Programme, examining the projects funded through this programme and assessing their plans for access beyond the existence of their project grants.  A scaled down version of the report with analysis is published here and a number of case studies have also been produced.

Based on this assessment, the DPC ULCC and Portico made the following recommendations to JISC and JISC projects which are likely to be of immediate relevance to other funding agents. The recommendations fall into two groups. They are stated here, and explained in more detail in section 4 of the report

For institutions and projects:

1. Write and Implement a Preservation Policy for Each Digital Collection

2. Define Collection and Content Management Procedures

3. Preserve Content in a Suitable Digital Preservation Infrastructure

4. Identify How the Collection will be Sustained Over Time

5. Recognize that accepting funding for digitisation implies an institutional commitment which outlives the period of funding.

6. Be clear about retention periods for different types of created digital content

For funders:

7. Consider designating or establishing preservation services for content and use appropriate methods to confirm that conditions are being met

8. Articulate more clearly and enforce requirements for the retention of content

9. Make the long-term duty on institutions clearer

Full text of the report can be accessed here [PDF1.3MB]

These conclusions are based on an extensive analysis of 16 projects, which in turn have allowed us to develop a set of case notes in digital preservation.