Digital Preservation Awards 2012 - shortlist announced

The shortist for the Digital Preservation Awards was announced at a reception in the House of Lords on Monday 8th October. 

The shortlist is as follows:

For an outstanding contribution to teaching and communication in digital preservation in the last 2 years:

• The Digital Preservation Training Programme, University of London Computing Centre
• The Signal, Library of Congress
• Keeping Research Data Safe Project, Charles Beagrie Ltd and partners
• Digital Archaeology Exhibition, Story Worldwide Ltd

For an outstanding contribution to research and innovation in digital preservation in the last 2 years:

• Data Management Planning Toolkit, The Digital Curation Centre and partners
• PLANETS Preservation and Long-term Access through Networked Services, The Open Planets Foundation and partners
• TOTEM Trustworthy Online Technical Environment Metadata Registry, University of Portsmouth and partners
• The KEEP Emulation Framework,       Koninklijke Bibliotheek (National Library of the Netherlands) and partners

For the most outstanding contribution to digital preservation in the last decade:

• The International Internet Preservation Consortium
• The National Archives for the PRONOM and DROID services
• The Archaeology Data Service at the University of York
• The PREMIS Preservation Metadata Working Group for the PREMIS Standard

The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) marks its landmark tenth year anniversary of its establishment at a reception at the Palace of Westminster today.

At this event, DPC Chairman Richard Ovenden and Lord MacNally, Minister of State for Justice, will celebrate the achievements of the Digital Preservation Coalition over the past ten years, but will also highlight the continuing risk to government, business, educational and cultural organisations and by society at large in failing to address the preservation of digital information. In his speech, Richard Ovenden points to major improvements that have been made in the past ten years but highlights recent studies which show how major data losses continue to be suffered:

• Websites of MPs Robin Cook, Claire Short no longer live
• Website of Woolworths plc and Welsh Language Board both lost
• After one year, 11% web resources shared through social media will be lost

A briefing from the TIMBUS project illustrates how the challenge of reliable access to data is no longer simply a concern for memory institutions or research centres:

• 94% of companies that suffer major data loss incidents go out of business in 2 years
• The global costs of data centre downtime are estimated at $426bn per annum
• Data creation and consumption is diverse in ways which could not have been imagined a decade ago. Mobile devices have started becoming more ubiquitous than power supply. In 2011 the global ‘on network and off-grid’ population reached at 48million – that is mobile phone users who don’t have access to power at home.

The DPC has established a vital network which has encouraged and supported the emergence of national, regional, sectoral and institutional commitments to digital preservation in the UK, Ireland and further afield, and it has empowered the pioneers of digital preservation to endorse the DPC as a reference for institutions’ sharing the vision to secure our digital memory tomorrow. Ten years on the DPC is firmly established as THE authoritative voice in digital preservation in the UK.

Formally established in July 2001 and endorsed at a House of Lords reception in February 2002 the then Chair of the Board of Directors Dame Lynne Brindley, welcomed the DPC’s founding seventeen members. Today the DPC proudly boasts just shy of forty established members. The energy and expertise of its staff and Executive Board has facilitated the hosting of well over sixty digital preservation training events; awarded dozens of scholarships via its Leadership Programme; commissioned leading edge Technology Watch Reports; produced fifty ‘What’s New in Digital Preservation?’ news round ups; has advised and lobbied government and other public sector on policy; is involved in two European Commission-funded initiatives (APARSEN and TIMBUS) and runs the biannual Digital Preservation Awards.

‘The successes of the Coalition in the last decade have been impressive’, notes Richard Ovenden the current chair, ‘and we have come a long way in addressing the challenge set for us in 2002’. But the question of how to ensure long term value from digital data remains problematic. ‘The need for digital preservation is growing in just the same way as the digital domain: in total size, in sheer complexity and in economic importance. ’

‘The question about preserving authentic digital records is not simply one for archives or libraries, explained William Kilbride of the DPC. ‘An article in the Economist recently reported that patent litigation between technology companies in the US was worth $200bn in 2011 - equivalent to 2% of GDP. ‘This may not make you think about digital preservation, until you realise that the best way to defend a court case is to cite authoritative records of innovation.’

‘In other words, digital preservation has vital role in protecting some of the most dynamic and innovative sectors of the economy.’

‘That’s just one example: health care, civil engineering, pensions, the recording industry, care services, research institutes, legal services and many more sectors need to maintain and exploit accurate and authoritative records over an extended period. No wonder that Gartner recently reported that 15% of companies would soon need to employ a digital archivist.’

In his speech, Richard Ovenden will look to the next ten years. He will observe that data is an asset and that preservation creates new opportunities, but only if organisations are clear about their own plans. He will call on organisation to ask five simple questions:

• Do they know which data sets from the last decade are going to be valuable in the next?
• Do they have robust plans for the long-term exploitation to business-critical, high-value data?
• Do they have robust preservation plans to ensure long term access to data?
• How are they going to recruit or train staff with skills in digital preservation needs?
• How can they collaborate more closely to meet the challenge of digital preservation?

DPC Awards Three DPTP Scholarships

The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) has awarded three scholarships so that members can attend the Digital Preservation Training Programme (DPTP) at the National Library of Ireland, Dublin 2^nd – 3^rd October 2012.

 'This is the eighth time we've offered scholarships to attend DPTP. They're very popular and an increasingly important way for members to supplement their training budgets', explained Richard Ovenden, Chair of the DPC.

The following were selected by a small panel of judges which met to review the applications submitted:

 *Jayne Hutchinson of PRONI

*Beccy Shipman of Leeds University Library

*Eibhlin Roche of The Archives and Records Association

 Applicants were judged against three main criteria: the role that DPTP would play in career development; the benefits to their organisation from attendance and the extent to which the applicant's job profile within the organisation pertains to digital preservation. Applications were open to DPC members and associates.

 William Kilbride, Executive Director of the DPC reflected on the scheme: 'Specialised training in digital preservation is a clear strategic priority, but it's time consuming and expensive to produce. That means training providers take quite a risk when they offer a course like DPTP. By guaranteeing a number of places we reduce that risk. So, although we're not able to fund all the excellent applications we receive, we can still help ensure that the training is offered.'

 The Digital Preservation Training Programme (DPTP) is designed for all those working in institutional information management who are grappling with fundamental issues of digital preservation. It provides the skills and knowledge necessary for institutions to combine organisational and technological perspectives, and devise an appropriate response to the challenges that digital preservation needs present. DPTP is operated and organised by the University of London Computer Centre in collaboration with the DPC.

 The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) is a not-for profit membership organisation whose primary objective is to raise awareness of the importance of the preservation of digital material and the attendant strategic, cultural and technological issues. It acts as an enabling and agenda-setting body within the digital preservation world and works to meet this objective through a number of high level goals. Its vision is to make our digital memory accessible tomorrow.

 For more information on the Digital Preservation Training Programme see: http://www.dptp.org/

The deadline is approaching for DPC members to apply for three fully-funded scholarships to attend the Digital Preservation Training Programme at the National Library of Ireland, Dublin, 2nd – 3rd October 2012.  Applications are due by 1200 on Friday 14th September.

The Digital Preservation Training Programme (DPTP) is designed for all those working in institutional information management who are grappling with fundamental issues of digital preservation. It provides the skills and knowledge necessary for institutions to combine organisational and technological perspectives and devise an appropriate response to the challenges that digital preservation needs present. DPTP is operated and organised by the University of London Computer Centre with contributions from invited experts. It is supported by the Digital Preservation Coalition which originally helped to establish the course in 2005. This course is slightly compressed from previous iterations.  Attendance at the Digital Preservation Training Programme costs €530 per person (excluding VAT). However, the Digital Preservation Coalition is pleased to offer three full scholarships which meet the costs of the course.  Applications are welcomed from DPC members and associates. The scholarship covers all tuition fees, course materials, access to online resources, lunch and refreshments.  Travel, accommodation and subsistence are not funded.

This is the eighth time the DPC has offered scholarships to attend the course.  Successful applicants will be asked to help promote the course and the work of the coalition. The DPC has supported a total of thirty five scholarships to attend this course.

• For more details of eligibility and how to apply for this and other scholarships see the DPC Leadership Programme
• For more details of the course including curriculum and venue see the DPTP website