Introduction

A foreword and introduction to this Toolkit, with thoughts on future development
Use this to find out more about the toolkit and how to apply it.

Lessons learned in digital preservation procurement

DPC Members only

A detailed guide providing lessons learned on procurement based on DPC Members experiences.
Use this to focus your procurement process on choosing the right solution, and avoiding common pitfalls.

Common requirements structure for preservation system procurement

A structure for describing preservation system requirements in a standardized manner.
Use this to organize and communicate your requirements clearly. Avoid reinventing the wheel.

Core requirements for a digital preservation system

10 high-level functional requirements for a digital preservation system
Consider this as a starting point for developing your own requirements, or as a tool for communicating DP requirements to non-DP staff.

Digital preservation requirements for procuring IT systems

Requirements for procuring an IT system that may contain records for rentention beyond the life of the system
Use this to prevent new IT systems from creating digital preservation problems of the future

Advice from DPC Supporters

Recordings and write-ups of our events with DPC Supporter organizations, including a top ten list of tips for success.
Use these resources to get a feel for the different offerings, outlook and ways of working of key vendors - essential research.

Further resources

A list of additional guidance materials relating to procurement.
Use this as a reference point for further reading on the subject.

Digital Preservation Coalition (2022). Digital Preservation Procurement Toolkit. Version 2. [http://doi.org/10.7207/procurementtoolkit22-02]

May 2022

2025

Introduction

An overview and introduction to preservation policies and this toolkit.
Use this to find out more about the toolkit and how to apply it.

What makes a good digital preservation policy?

Experience pooled from within the DPC on what makes a good (and bad) policy.
Use this to set off in the right direction for creating your new policy.

Step-by-step-guide to building a preservation policy

A step by step guide to the researching, drafting, establishing and sustaining a preservation policy.
Use this to plan out how you will develop and establish your new policy.

Template for building a preservation policy

A detailed guide for building a preservation policy, with numerous references to existing policies.
Use this to establish the structure of your policy and to guide the development of its content.

Reviewing your policy

Information to guide future work on keeping your policy current and relevant.
Use this to find out how to keep your preservation policy up-to-date.

University of Bristol Case Study

An exemplar policy that was developed alongside this Toolkit, and a details of how it was created.
Use this to learn from the experiences of another organisation.

Further resources

A list of additional guidance materials relating to preservation policies.
Use this as a reference point for further reading on the subject.

Suggested citation of current version

Digital Preservation Coalition (2023). Digital Preservation Policy Toolkit. Version 2 [http://doi.org/10.7207/policytoolkit23-02]

Last updated

March 2023

Date of next planned review

2026 

Introduction to the Business Case Toolkit

An overview and introduction to business cases and this toolkit.
Use this to find out more about the toolkit and how to apply it.

What makes a good digital preservation business case?

Experience pooled from within the DPC on what makes a good policy. 
Use this to avoid obvious pitfalls and take advantage of approaches that have been successful for other DPC Members.

Understand your digital preservation readiness

Understanding the context and preparations that are needed before producing a business case.
Use this to establish the best foundation for your business case.

Step-by-step-guide to building a business case

An outline of the main steps to follow in constructing your business case including research, drafting, validation and delivery.
Use this to plan out how you will develop your proposal.

Template for building a business case

An exploration of the detail that makes up an evidenced and convincing business case.
Use this to guide the development of the content of your proposal.

Example benefits and risks for typical digital preservation business cases

Motivations for 4 common business case targets.
Use this to build a convincing and realistic proposal.

Business case hints and tips

A summary of hints and tips on writing business cases and selling your proposal to your organization.
Use this to ensure you create a positive and convincing business case.

Further resources on business cases

A list of additional guidance materials relating to business cases.
Use this as a reference point for further reading on the subject.

RAM Section

Tips

Resources

Case Studies

A - Organizational viability

Governance, organizational structure, staffing and resourcing of digital preservation activities.

B - Policy and strategy

Policies, strategies, and procedures which govern the operation and management of the digital archive.

C - Legal and ethical

Management of legal rights and responsibilities, compliance with relevant regulation and adherence to ethical codes related to acquiring, preserving and providing access to digital content.

D - IT capability

Information Technology capabilities for supporting digital preservation activities.

E - Continuous improvement

Processes for the assessment of current digital preservation capabilities, the definition of goals and the monitoring of progress.

F - Community

Engagement with and contribution to the wider digital preservation community.

G - Acquisition, transfer and ingest

Processes to acquire or transfer content and ingest it into a digital archive.

H - Bitstream preservation

Processes to ensure the storage and integrity of digital content to be preserved.

I - Content preservation

Processes to preserve the meaning of the digital content and ensure its continued accessibility and usability over time.

J - Metadata management

Processes to create and maintain sufficient metadata to support preservation, discovery and use of preserved digital content.

K - Discovery and access

Processes to enable discovery of digital content and provide access for users.

DPC RAM has continuous improvement at its core!

Though it can be used for a one-off exercise it is recommended that it is applied on a more regular basis to highlight progress or demonstrate where further resource is required. It has been designed to provide a rapid assessment of current capabilities so it should not be too onerous a task to apply it on a regular schedule.

DPC Members will be encouraged to complete DPC RAM on an annual basis.

The model is designed to be relatively quick and easy to use for any organization charged with preserving digital information for the long term. Some institutions have applied this model in less than 1 hour. For others it may take longer, particularly if wider consultation with a range of colleagues is required or if multiple streams of digital content are being assessed.

Note that though establishing where your organization is using DPC RAM may be a relatively quick process,  it may take longer to consider where you would like to be and to plan actions for moving forward.

DPC RAM can be used by any organization with a need to preserve digital information for the long term. It should be possible to apply it regardless of the sector in which you work or the type of information that is being preserved. The maturity levels are based on existing good practice and try to be agnostic to particular preservation strategies or approaches.

DPC RAM for DPC Members

Whilst the model is freely available for anyone to use, DPC Members will have the additional benefit of the ability to benchmark and compare their results with that of other members. The model when applied across the DPC membership will also help facilitate DPC Member Support activities and work planning, enabling the capture of basic information on member needs and highlighting areas where additional support is needed.

• Share your assessment with colleagues and senior managers within your organization. A copy of the assessment can be used as a conversation starter to talk about where you are now and what areas would benefit from improvement.
• Use the results of your assessment as evidence within a business case for digital preservation as it will help to effectively illustrate gaps and priority areas for improvement. The radar chart that is generated when you use the Excel spreadsheet template for RAM provides a helpful visual aid to illustrate any gaps you have highlighted. The Business Case Toolkit may also help with this. 
• Establish a roadmap or plan of action for the year ahead. If there is a mismatch in your current level and target level for any of the sections of DPC RAM, consider what incremental steps you can start to take in order to improve. How to level up with DPC RAM provides some useful resources related to each section of DPC RAM.
• Set priorities, establishing which sections of the model you want to work on first and where you would like to see improvement over the next year.
• Include some of the actions coming out of this assessment in your organization's forward planning or staff development processes.
• Revise your preservation policy or strategy to ensure it accurately reflects your aspirations.
• If you are a DPC Member: Speak to the DPC if you would like to benchmark your own digital preservation capability against that of other member organizations. We will be able to provide you with anonymized comparative information about the membership as a whole that may be of use to you for internal advocacy.