1. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 1 DIGITAL PRESERVATION: MAINTAINING THE FUTURE’S REAR-VIEW MIRROR Janet Vavra ICPSR University of Michigan IASSIST Conference 2002 Storrs, Connecticut June 14, 2002

2. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 2 Overview  Digital Preservation  Issues  Solutions  The Future

3. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 3 Digital Preservation Definition  to save; to maintain and protect Goal  to maintain access to and the integrity of materials indefinitely Characteristics  immediate  ongoing  changing

4. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 4 Issues  The “universe” of digital records  legacy formats  proprietary formats  textual formats  microfilm/microfiche  data bases  web sites  email

5. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 5 Issues (cont)  Digital preservation impacts anyone with electronic materials  Rapidly changing technology makes preservation challenging and ongoing concern  Ease of use today is tomorrow’s headache  Volume is escalating

6. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 6 Solutions  Nature of holdings  digital data and documentation  magnitude and diversity of holdings  changes over time  how materials used by clientele  future acquisitions

7. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 7 Solutions (cont)  Digital Preservation Strategies  migration  conversion  emulation  metadata  combination

8. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 8 Solutions (cont)  evaluate holdings especially legacy formats  utilize software tools  make preservation part of managing electronic records  raise awareness among colleagues about preservation  network with others who face similar issues

9. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 9 The Future  Preservation will be more diverse  Preservation must be part of the archival process right at the beginning  Preservation is a community effort  Educate relevant communities about preservation  Resource needs  Keep abreast of changes that are ongoing

10. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 10 The Future (cont)  Formalize mechanisms to aid in preservation efforts  clearinghouse  training programs  professional advocates

11. INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Social Science Data and Resources for Researchers 11 Want More Information?  Conway, Paul. Preservation in the Digital World http://www.clirg.org/pubs/reports/conway21  Day, Michael. Metadata for Preservation http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/edars/AIW01.html  Hestrom, Margaret. “Digital Preservation: A Time Bomb for Digital Libraries”. http://www.uky.edu/~kiernan/DL/hedstrom.html  Kenny, Anne R.. And Oya Y. Reiger Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Imaging for Libraries and Archives http://www.clir.org/pubs/pubs.html