Preserving Australia’s Digital Memory of the Pandemic and beyond

Karuna Bhoday is the Assistant Director of the Integrated Archival Management System Project at National Archives of Australia. 

The National Archives of Australia provides leadership in best-practice management of the official record of the Australian Government and ensures that Australian Government information of enduring significance is secured, preserved and available to government agencies, researchers and the community

The National Archives has two key roles under our Act:

• to provide access to the Commonwealth government records which document the memory of our nation (connect Australians with their identity, history and place in the world); and

• to advise government agencies on the creation, management, including authorised disposal, and access of information and data to ensure:

  • government is transparent and accountable;

  • evidence of the actions and decisions of the Australian Government is created; and

  • that information is kept and is accessible for as long as needed.

The National Archives is responsible for preserving and providing access to information and records from Australia’s 187 Commonwealth agencies. We play a lead role in information and data availability and quality across the Australian Government.

In this the digital age our vision is to promote the creation, management and preservation of authentic, reliable and re-usable digital information – with usability and access at the centre.

The current Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic is a significant event in world history. Records of the decisions made and the actions taken now will become a critical source of information for those responding to the current crisis as well as those looking back on how we dealt with this unique situation. Decisions being made by government to protect the health of Australians and to secure the country’s social, economic and cultural wellbeing will affect the daily lives of millions of people.

It is essential that these decisions, and the basis for them, are recorded and preserved to ensure accountability, during and after the emergency, and for the benefit of future generations. The National Archives of Australia, and similar institutions around the world, are custodians of records of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which is now being studied by scientists to better understand the current pandemic.  These same institutions will eventually be the stewards of records related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The important and significant work that is done in agencies across the Commonwealth at this critical time will one day provide evidence and insight into how Australia responded to the challenges of a global pandemic.

In the digital age, Archives globally are grappling with rapid change as digital files replace paper records.  The National Archives is currently implementing a new preservation platform. The Integrated Archival Management System Project Roadmap sets out the course for business capability uplift beginning with the digital preservation which was recognised as a critical need. After an extensive market evaluation, a contract was signed for a specialist digital preservation system with sector leader Preservica.

Press cuttings and photographs relating to the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918-1920, quarantine issues,

and other health-related matters - compiled by Dr CumpstonNAA: CP567/1, Box 4 Part A Page 4 of 128

The new system is now in production and integrated with current systems and has commenced ingesting new transfers and migrating digital records.  Adopting an agile methodology which involves iterative development and release allows the business units to learn over the next 12 – 18 months as the implementation progresses. The project team are working with a Design Reference Group on all aspects of implementation and helping to champion the necessary change across the Archives.

Preservica’s active preservation software will help keep the Commonwealth’s digital records safely stored, ensure they can be found and trusted, provide secure access and automatically update files to future-friendly formats.  The Preservica software will form a critical component of the Integrated Archival Management System that we are building to safeguard Australia’s memory. The important and significant work that is done in agencies across the Commonwealth at this critical time will one day provide evidence and insight into how Australia responded to the challenges of a global pandemic.  Preservica provides the necessary support and aligns to one of our core accountabilities from the government: we need to hold the Australian government records for years to come with confidence that we are using modern ways of ensuring that they are preserved and safeguarded.

Equipment - printed circuit boards and rack mountings for

DRCS [digital radio concentrator system] NAA: J2364, 8032