Informal notes from the 'POCOS' 'Preserving Software Art Symposium' are now available online for DPC members. 

JISC is funding Portsmouth University and partners to host a series of seminars and reports on the preservation of ‘complex objects’. This ‘POCOS’ project hosted an event on visualisation and simulation in London in June and the second meeting, on the preservation of software art took place in Glasgow between 11^th and 12^th October.  A third and final event on gaming will be held in 2012. 

• notes from the Preserving Software Art Symposium are available for DPC members (login required, PDF, 247KB)
• login or register for the DPC website

The DPC is pleased to announce that it will be offering three scholarships to attend the Digital Preservation Training Programme, in London, 14-16th November 2011.  The deadline for applications is 1200 on Friday 28th October.  All DPC members are entitled to apply . 

See the DPC Leadership Programme for more details including a brief description of the course, eligibility and how to apply

Briefing notes from the DPC / British Library / JISC sponsored conference 'The Future of the Past of the Web' have been added to the conference report area of the DPC website (login required). 

• Click here to register for the DPC website

The DPC, Neil Beagrie and Andrew Charlesworth are delighted to release the draft outline of a new Technology Watch Report on Intellectual Property Rights and Digital Preservation which is currently in production.  Members are invited to comment on this draft outline before the outline is finalised. (PDF login required)

The DPC Technology Watch Report series is intended as an advanced introduction to specific issues for those charged with establishing or running services for long term access. They identify and track developments in IT, standards and tools which are critical to digital preservation activities.

• For more details of the Technology Watch Report Series, see: http://www.dpconline.org/advice/technology-watch-reports
• To login or register for the DPC website see: http://www.dpconline.org/login
• To join the DPC see: http://www.dpconline.org/join-us

Pre-Registration is now open 'Intellectual Property Rights and Digital Preservation', a briefing day sponsored jointly by the Digital Preservation Coalition and JISC Digital Media, in Bristol on 21 November 2011.

Digital preservation helps to deliver lasting impact from highly prized and valuable digital resources. This is often understood as a technical challenge but experience shows that a poor fit between technology, processes and regulations constrains preservation actions and significantly inhibit the benefits which long-term access ought to deliver. Operating within a complicated and evolving legal and regulatory landscape, the digital preservation community needs a clear understanding of what it is permitted to do and what risks might inhere within technical processes like format shifting, migration, bit replication and emulation. Foremost among these challenges is the management, protection and evolution of intellectual property rights. It has long been recognised that digital rights management and encryption present a barrier to preserving content. But intellectual property rights do not just impact on the contents of archives but applies also to the containers, wrappers and formats which make the contents accessible.

Places are still available at the 5th Digital Curation Centre Roadshow.  It is being organised in conjunction with the University of Sussex Library. It will take place over 4 - 6 October 2011 at the University of Sussex Conference Centre, Brighton. http://www.dcc.ac.uk/events/data-management-roadshows/dcc-roadshow-brighton

The workshop is over 3 days though attendees are not required to attend all the days. The Roadshow will cover emerging trends and present case studies, and will explain how to comply with policy requirements and introduce the core principles for robust data management and planning. Day 3 of the roadshow will focus on training.

Two further Roadshows are planned for autumn/winter 2011 and more will soon be announced for 2012: University of Cambridge 9-11 November 2011; University of Cardiff/Royal Welsh School of Music & Drama 14-16 December 2011

The Digital Curation Centre (DCC), is the UK’s national centre for advice and offers help in all matters related to digital data management and curation

The deadline for applications for grants to attend the UK Data Archive's popular 'How to run a Data Centre: the Challenges of Social Science Data' has been extended to 7th October 2011.  Members interested in applying for one of the three scholarships available for this event should see the relevant pages of the DPC Leadership Programme. 

What's New - Issue 37, September 2011

In this issue:

• What's On - forthcoming events from the Setptember 2011 onwards
• What's new - new reports and initiatives since the last issue
• What's what - 'Do Good Work' - William Kilbride and Andrew McHugh contemplate success in digital preservation
• Your View? - comments and views from readers

What's new is a joint publication of the DPC and DCC

The University of Leeds has joined the Digital Preservation Coalition.

'Over the last few years our digital collections have grown and diversified', explained Bo Middleton of the University Library. ' They represent a considerable investment and we must move to protect these assets through active preservation.'

'We have joined the DPC because we want to be active participants in discussions of key digital preservation issues. We also recognise the benefits that will accrue from access to world class research. We are delighted to become members of the key forum for the digital preservation community which is working to develop policies and encourage the adoption of best practice.'

Richard Ovenden, chair of the Coalition, welcomed this newest member. 'Leeds University has made a significant contribution to digital preservation research over the years. Their decision to join is evidence of the growing impact of the Coalition and the recognition of the benefits of working together in this emerging field. '

William Kilbride of the DPC also welcomed the news: 'We've just launched our programme for the next 12 months which will include a new generation of technology watch reports, expert briefings on key topics like intellectual property rights, cloud storage and business continuity management. Leeds University will have priority access to these and other activities this year, empowering their staff and giving them a ready-made support network.'

New Zealand seeks to appoint three senior advisors in Digital Continuity

1 x Permanent, 1 x Fixed Term parental leave cover until 1 September 2012, 1 x Fixed Term until 26 October 2012

• Interested in playing a key role in a major new government digital archive?
• Leading edge professional and technology position
• Great career opportunity