a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Funded by: This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 UK: Scotland License. To view a copy of this license, visit sa/2.5/scotland/ ; or, (b) send a letter to Creative Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. Introduction to Digital Archives Maureen Pennock EAOLUG Spring/Summer Meeting 2006

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Todays talk The DCC Background & Context What We Do Digital Archives & Archiving Definitions Main Issues OAIS Systems

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 UK Digital Curation Centre JISC Circular 6/03 called for bids in digital curation JISC and the e-Science Core Programme funding for development, services and outreach in digital curation for a research programme Impetus to action Growth in e-Science activity and data creation Recognition that continuing access to digital information is needed

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Partners University of Edinburgh (lead site) Chris Rusbridge, Prof Peter Buneman University of Glasgow - HATII Prof Seamus Ross, Director of HATII and Erpanet University of Bath - UKOLN Dr Liz Lyon, Director of UKOLN Councils for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) Dr David Giaretta

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Objectives Lead a vibrant international research programme to improve quality in data curation and digital preservation Deliver effective, efficient and high demand services undertake evaluation of tools, methods, standards and policies work with the community to establish registries of tools and technical information Create an active, innovative and collaborative Associates Network Connect communities Universities and Research institutions Scientific data and documents International & cross-sector

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Research Annotation in Databases Data archiving Socio-economic and legal issues Metadata extraction and curation Provenance and databases Data transformation, integration and publishing Security Supporting technologies Organisational and cultural challenges to digital curation

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Development DCC Approach to Digital Curation (white paper) – sets out the path for development activities: Monitoring international standards Development of a Representation Information Registry/Repository (DCC RIR) Development of recommendations for tools and methods for generating Representation Information Creating testbeds for digital curation tools Creating auditing and certification processes for trusted repositories

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Services Information Services Community-developed Digital Curation Manual Briefing Papers & FAQs Technology Watch Case Studies Best Practice Checklists Advisory Services Events: information days, workshops, training, conferences Helpdesk Audit and Certification Services

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Summary Support and promote continuing improvement in the quality of data curation and preservation activity Nurture strong community relationships between practitioners, researchers, and curators Address digital curation from all aspects of the records life-cycle Develop and promote curation knowledge, tools and techniques Identify and research new organisational, technical, and supporting curation challenges

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Digital Curation Digital curation is all about maintaining and adding value to a trusted body of digital information for current and future use; specifically, we mean the active management and appraisal of data over the life-cycle of scholarly and scientific materials. Digital Curation brings a whole host of challenges The range of stakeholders that affect the survival of digital material cuts across the whole life-cycle Everyone plays an important role

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Digital Archiving Digital archiving is a curation activity Ensures that Data is properly selected Data is properly stored Data can be accessed The logical and physical integrity of the data is maintained over time Data is secure and authentic * * Lord & MacDonald, e-Science Data Curation Report, 2003

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Digital Preservation Digital preservation is an archiving activity Ensures that specific items of data are maintained over time so that they can still be accessed and understood through changes in technology * Includes content files and associated metadata Combats digital obsolescence Keeps data authentic despite technological change Has technical, organisational, and cultural challenges * Lord & MacDonald, e-Science Data Curation Report, 2003

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 What is a Digital Archive? Inconsistency in use of the terms digital archive, digital repository, and digital library Task Force on Archiving Digital Information 1996: Defines digital archives strictly in functional terms as repositories of digital information that are collectively responsible for ensuring, through the exercise of various migration strategies, the integrity and long-term accessibility of the nations social, economic, cultural and intellectual heritage instantiated in digital form. Provide reliable solutions for life-cycle and long-term management of digital archival materials System driver is Preservation, leading to Access

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 What is a Digital Repository? Collections of digital objects: content + metadata Cross-domain implementation Offer minimum set of basic services – Get, Search, Access control Sustainable & trusted; well-supported and managed Policies, processes, services, people Overall commitment to stewardship of digital materials Enables quick & remote access to digital materials

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Main Issues for Digital Archives User Requirements Transfer & Ingest Metadata Standards Digital preservation strategies Linkage Audit and Certification Legal Issues Access restrictions

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 OAIS Open Archival Information System Reference Model ISO 14721:2003 "An archive, consisting of an organisation of people and systems, that has accepted the responsibility to preserve information and make it available for a Designated Community" Establishes a common framework of terms and concepts Defines an Information Model Identifies basic Functions of an OAIS

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 OAIS Functional Model Functional model has six entities: Ingest; Archival Storage; Data Management; Administration; Preservation Planning; Access Described using UML diagrams

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 OAIS Functional Entities Administration Ingest Archival Storage Access Data Management Descriptive info. PRODUCERPRODUCER CONSUMERCONSUMER MANAGEMENT queries result sets Descriptive info. Preservation Planning orders OAIS Functional Entities (Figure 4-1) SIP DIP AIP

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 DSpace DSpace: DSpace is a groundbreaking digital repository system that captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and redistributes an organization's research data [...] the DSpace software platform serves a variety of digital archiving needs. Open source software Example use: American Museum of Natural History Research Library Chapel Hill, SILS, Theses & Dissertations University of Cambridge – Academic & related content Edinburgh Research Archive (ERA)

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 EPrints Eprints: GNU EPrints is generic archive software under development by the University of Southampton. It is intended to create a highly configurable web-based archive. Open Source software Example uses: Southampton Crystal Structure Report Archive Central Connecticut State University Digital Archive Central European University – Preprint Archive Curtin institute of Technology Institutional Repository DLIST – Digital Library of Information Science & Technology

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Fedora Fedora: Open source software that gives organisations a flexible service-oriented architecture for managing and delivering their digital content. Open source software Example uses: Digital Case, Case Western Reserve University's electronic repository and archive: stores, disseminates, and preserves faculty research in digital formats (both born digital and digitised) University of Queensland eSpace – research digital repository with published articles and conference papers, book chapters, theses and other forms of written research

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Others Other systems such as Digital Commons institutional repository service Other, custom-built systems NARA Electronic Records Archives (ERA) project UK National Archives Public Record Office, Victoria KB eDepot, Netherlands Several other large bodies whose archive pre- dates development of aforementioned repository software Commercial systems

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 In conclusion There is much in common between digital archives, libraries, and repositories Intention and subsequent functionality is the key to defining digital storage systems Digital Archives offer a framework for maintaining & preserving the authenticity and integrity of records over time Several software solutions are available Development is ongoing Need technical know-how to implement There is still a lot of work to do....

a centre of expertise in data curation and preservation EAOLUG :: RSC :: Cambridge23 May 2006 Thank you. Questions? Maureen Pennock Join the DCC Associates Network at