Brazilian Training Program in Digital Preservation

Brazilian Training Program in Digital Preservation

Miguel Ángel Márdero Arellano, Flor de María Silvestre Estela, Eva Juani Santos Brito

Teaching digital preservation within international initiatives depends on monitoring and evaluating the care that institutions deem necessary in the training and development of their employees. Its specificity lies in raising awareness among corporate information systems managers about the need to resize their asset production for secure, long-term storage.

In Brazil, it is observed that few institutions offer short courses specifically focused on digital preservation, aiming to fill a gap observed in the supply of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, both lato sensu and stricto sensu.
The Cariniana Network is an initiative of the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (IBICT) focused on the preservation of Brazilian digital documents. Its main objective is to guarantee continuous long-term access to these documents, promoting the security and monitoring of digital storage in a decentralized and standardized environment. Cariniana uses distributed computing resources and relies on the participation of institutions holding digital documents and their respective infrastructures. Since 2013, it has been associated with the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) Program of Stanford University, integrating preservation efforts in national and international networks. The Cariniana Network also facilitates the consortium integration of digital content, contributing to the preservation of Brazilian institutional memory.

The Cariniana Network develops digital preservation activities in four lines of action: Partnerships, DRÍADE Research Network, Projects, and Digital Preservation Service. In the context of expanding secondary services to the community, the Network began planning the Brazilian Digital Training Program in 2022. Before this initiative, Cariniana only offered one-month courses on specific topics, taught through YouTube platforms. However, a gap was identified in the supply of updated theoretical and practical content in digital preservation. Researchers who are members of DRÍADE were invited to apply as professors and to indicate the topics and periods in which they would be available to teach classes.

Since 2024, the Cariniana Network has offered a series of short, open courses as part of its Digital Preservation Training Program. These courses cover essential topics, from digital preservation policies to the application of digital preservation in different areas of knowledge and current trends in the field. The courses stand out for their live online classes, allowing for direct and dynamic interaction between instructors and participants. The main objective of the Program is to provide students with a deep understanding of the fundamental concepts of digital preservation, as well as to explore its various practical applications.

Cariniana's courses are developed in a virtual format, allowing participation from interested parties throughout the country. The target audience is diverse, including archivists, librarians, museologists, public servants, information technology and audiovisual professionals, stricto sensu postgraduate students, and professionals in the legal, tax, and fiscal areas, as well as the general public interested in digital preservation topics.

The course modules were designed to cater to a diverse audience, including professionals already working in the market, recent graduates, professionals from related fields, as well as individuals with knowledge ranging from basic to advanced, in addition to the general public interested in the subject. The structure of the modules follows a progression from basic to advanced level, thus facilitating a gradual and in-depth understanding of the content. Detailed information about the modules, including course summaries and the ORCIDs of the professors, is available on the Cariniana Network website, providing additional resources for those interested in better understanding the qualifications of the instructors and the structure of the course.

This dynamic of simultaneous interaction allows for the exchange of experiences and access to up-to-date information, enriching both the transmission of knowledge by the teacher and the contributions of the students, which, in turn, improves the quality of teaching and the learning experience. The courses in the Brazilian Digital Preservation Training Program are offered in a synchronous online format, with classes broadcast live via the Zoom digital platform. This format allows students to participate in sessions from anywhere, provided they have internet access and a compatible device, such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. The main objective of this format is to promote direct interaction between students and teachers.

One of the main challenges of remote learning is ensuring the quality of the content and knowledge offered. Distance learning programs generally involve many students, which can result in less individualized attention and fewer opportunities for personalized learning. Therefore, at Cariniana, special attention was given to limiting the number of places in courses, establishing a maximum of 32 students and a minimum of 15 per class. From 2024 to April 2026, the Training Program has trained more than 180 participants.

The impact of professional field training in Brazil is very significant, since digital preservation is increasingly recognized as a necessary skill in many sectors, not only in libraries and archives, but also in media companies, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations that manage digital assets.

As the production of digital content continues to grow exponentially, the need for professionals trained to manage, preserve, and ensure long-term access to this data becomes even more critical. Therefore, it is found that strengthening and expanding international collaborative networks allows for greater access to knowledge in digital preservation. Networks such as Cariniana also allow professionals from different regions to share resources and best practices, which are fundamental to facing the global and regional challenges of preserving digital content. In this way, we observe that the Brazilian Digital Preservation Training Program contributes to increasing national competence in digital preservation and allows development in the area to be more representative of diverse cultural and technological needs.