Glasgow, 30th November 2017
Dear colleagues and friends around the world,
Welcome one, welcome all! The first International Digital Preservation Day (#IDPD17) is finally here!
This day is for everyone who works in digital preservation. It’s about their work. It’s about the opportunities created by the digital materials they safeguard and make accessible. It’s about the hard work and ingenuity, often unrecognised, that makes a secure digital legacy possible. And it’s about fostering links across this growing but highly dispersed community. Supported by digital preservation networks around the world – old friends and new - IDPD17 is open to participation from anyone and everyone interested in securing our digital legacy.
We have already been amazed and delighted by the interest, support and efforts of colleagues new and old around the world. We knew that we wanted IDPD17 to be accessible to everyone, everywhere but we had precious little budget to spend. So we went ahead with a ‘make up your own activity’ idea not really knowing how it would work out. The response has exceeded anything we might have thought possible! Here are a few examples of how far reaching the idea of IDPD17 has been so far:
- The IDPD17 logo has been generously and voluntarily translated into sixteen different languages, including Tamil and Burmese, and we still expect more versions before the day is out.
- We are looking forward to posting a blog from Colleagues at the National Library of Colombia who have written write something for us about their efforts web harvesting materials about the peace process at the end of the Colombian Civil War.
- I have already recorded presentations to share at a gathering of digital preservation colleagues hosted by the National Archives and National Library New Zealand in Wellington, and another in The Hague hosted by colleagues at NCDD.
We are completely bowled over by the energy and creativity on show. And we expect today to be crammed with all sorts of digital preservation insight and celebration.
Throughout the day, wherever you are, there are plenty of ways to get involved:
- Share your 'digital preservation day' on Social Media: Take photos, make videos, share updates about your own 'digital preservation day' using the social media platform of your choice. Or persuade your organization to let you take over the corporate social media account for the day to talk about digital preservation. In the run up to the publication of the Bit List, share your thoughts on the most at-risk digital materials. Remember to use the hashtags #IDPD17 and #BitList
- Blogs: There will be more than 100 blog posts published to the DPC website by members of the digital preservation community throughout the day. DPC members can share their own digital preservation stories with us by posting directly to the blog, or if you are not a member send us the link to your own blog and we’ll share it with the community.
- Live events: There is a packed programme of live events taking place around the world on the IDPD17 page of the DPC website. See what is taking place near you and get involved. If your event is not listed on the IDPD17 page, send us the details and we’ll share them with the community.
- The Bit List: At 12 noon (GMT) in Glasgow the DPC team will be unveiling the results of the ‘Bit List’ of Digitally Endangered Species. Watch the live stream and visit the Bit List page for all the details: http://www.dpconline.org/our-work/digitally-endangered-species
Organized by the DPC and supported by digital preservation networks around the world, IDPD17 is just one of the ways the Coalition helps raise awareness of the strategic, cultural and technological issues which make up the digital preservation challenge.
So, without much further ado – we hand over to our colleagues in New Zealand to start proceedings. I’ll see you in the morning. By the time the sun rises in Glasgow tomorrow International Digital Preservation Day will already be in full swing across much of the world.
And wherever you are in the world, let our motto be: Save the Bits!
William Kilbride
Executive Director,
Digital Preservation Coalition
For a detailed program and more information about International Digital Preservation Day visit the event page on the DPC website, follow the hashtags #BitList and #IDPD17 on Twitter for updates or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.
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