Preservation Registries Special Interest Group

What is the Preservation Registries Special Interest Group?

When we're preserving digital content, we rely on a wide range of different kinds of information to guide us and learn from. We can't implement our preservation processes without choosing which tools to use. We can't appraise or preserve access to our digital content if we don't know what format it's in. That's why we rely on format registries like PRONOM, tool registries like COPTR, and many more resources, databases and indexes, or Preservation Registries.

This Special Interest Group is dedicated to understanding the information sources we rely on, and providing a space where we can all learn how to update and maintain the records of the knowledge we share.

We have a mailing list and run a regular series of online Collaboration Café calls (inspired by The Turing Way). These are open to anybody with in interest in using and/or maintaining the information resources that support digital preservation. You do not have to be a member of the DPC to join, and new members are very welcome.

Note that all activities will be governed in line with our values (see below) and under the DPC Inclusion and Diversity policy.

Mailing List

The mailing list is mostly used to distribute details of the Collaboration Café calls, but can also be used to ask questions or discuss issues related to preservation registries.

You can join or leave the DIGI-PRES-REGISTRIES@JISCMAIL.AC.UK mailing list using the web interface: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/DIGI-PRES-REGISTRIES. Note that archives of the mailing list are not public but are available via the web interface to registered members.

Online Collaboration Cafés

The PR-SIG Collaboration Cafes (or ‘Cafés’ with an accent) are virtual co-working spaces that are held fortnightly on Thursdays for 1 hour, alternating between 4pm and 11pm (UK time). The schedule will be updated periodically on the DigiPres.org Public Calendar (as HTML, or subscribe via this link: ICS), which is also managed by the PR-SIG and includes some related events like the fortnightly PRONOM Open Drop-In calls.

We host these online calls using Zoom. Attendees are welcome to just listen in, but everyone should also feel free to make comments or raise questions. Note that these calls are not recorded, but some shared notes are collected on this Google Document.

Agenda

The main purpose of the calls is to spend some time co-working on resources related to digital preservation. For example, spending a bit of time tidying up some entries in the COPTR tool registry or the Just Solve The Problem Formats Wiki, or reading through the latest changes from PRONOM (there's a longer list of ideas below).  Alternatively, if people have specific questions, need some help, or want to have a specific discussion, we might create one or more break-out rooms.

The overall schedule looks like this:

n.b. to manage the Pomodoro sessions, we re-use this Cuckoo.team timer during each call.

Places To Start

Here's some community resources you might want to look at or add to:

• The Community-Owned digital Preservation Tool Registry (COPTR)
  • See the recent changes to COPTR.
  • Read/review the How can I get involved? section of the About page.
  • Read/review the wish list of tools to be added.
• The Just Solve The Problem Formats Wiki
  • See the recent changes to the File Formats Wiki
• The PRONOM Format Registry:
  • See the recent PRONOM Research activity
  • See the latest changes in PRONOM releases.
• The DigiPres Learning Resources site.

There are even more sources on the DigiPres.org homepage (which has it's own issues) and the Digital Preservation Awesome List (recent changes), both of which are themselves things you might want to contribute to!

Any questions? Need help? Not problem! Just come along to a call or ask on the mailing list.
Perhaps, together, we can defeat The Directory Paradox!

Governance

Chair: Andrew Jackson

Values

The WG is established under the auspices of the DPC Executive Board. As such it will adopt the constitution, norms and values of the DPC. Consequently, within the terms of reference it will:

• care for our members, resources, people and environment:
• maintain neutrality in respect to solutions, approaches, sectors, suppliers and vendors.
• be open, transparent and accountable to members.
• amplify the needs and successes of our members.
• be open to all stakeholders with a presumption of positive intent.
• respond to the needs of members in the delivery of services.
• be authoritative, current and concise in all our publications and communications.
• be respectful, welcoming, inclusive and transparent in all our dealings.
• be evidence-led, making effective use of data in decision making.

The WG will act on its values and be transparent with respect to how they are implemented.

The WG meets under the DPC’s Inclusion and Diversity policy. DPC is committed to being accessible to everyone who wishes to engage with the topic of digital preservation. Communities that fully embrace these values are shown to be more effective, innovative, and united. Therefore we expect participants to be positive, accepting, and sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Harassment of any member of the vommunity will not be tolerated and appropriate steps will be taken to deal with any such issues. For more information, see the DPC Inclusion and Diversity Policy.

Evaluation

The PR-SIG will be evaluated as part of the DPC’s overall and ongoing evaluation of its effectiveness.