Digital Preservation

Summary

Digital Preservation is the management and protection of digital information to ensure authenticity, integrity, reliability, and long-term accessibility. It combines policies, strategies, and technical actions, such as format migration or emulation, to keep digital content usable over time. The goal is to make your digital files “future proof” (as much as possible) by saving the highest quality copy in the most robust format to the most reliable available storage media.

Your digital preservation plan should address three basic areas:

1. File Storage. Is it in a secure place?
   • 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of the data, stored on 2 types of media, with 1 located offsite.
   • Media storage types
     1. Hard disk drives, solid state drives, cloud storage, temporary storage
     2. No storage solution is perfect or lasts forever, so it’s best to use several and replace them as often as you reasonably can.
   • Storage locations. At least one copy of your data should be stored offsite in case of a disaster scenario.
2. File Integrity. Is it intact over time?
   • File fixity refers to files remaining the same over time. Strategies to ensure file fixity are periodically tracking the number and total size of files, and implementing a checksum process using special software.
   • Bit rot refers to file corruption that can happen through malfunctions, updates, old technology, and human error.
   • Perform virus scans periodically and on any incoming digital files.
3. File Access. Can the right people access and open it?
   • Grant permissions only to people who need access.
   • Record technical metadata: Details needed to render the file, such as file format, size, software/hardware requirements, and creation date.
   • Avoid obsolescence by documenting and periodically reviewing the technical requirements for accessing digital files (software, hardware, file formats, etc.).
   • Collaborate with IT so they understand the unique storage needs of digital collections. It’s an ongoing partnership.

Suggested Recordings, Readings and Policy Creation Guides

• Digital Collections Stewardship Module 6: Saving. Self-paced slides and videos, 1 hour. WebJunction, 2023.
• Dave Hodgins, Chief Technology Manager, Colorado State Library: Digital Preservation Strategies. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
  • Recording
• Introduction to Digital Preservation. Video Recording, 40 mins. Sunshine State Digital Network.
• Getting Started with Digital Preservation in a Small Institution. Video Recording, 1 hr. Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation, Washington State University, 2021. Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
• Developing a Digital Preservation Policy. PDF. The Sustainable Heritage Network. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Discussion Questions

• Where are you currently storing your data?
• What are your two types of storage media, or how will you select them?
• What is your process for maintaining duplicate storage of files in multiple locations?
• Do you have plans for implementing a new or improved storage strategy?
• Do you have a budget for funding for storage media and technology?
• Do you have a plan for version tracking and backups?
• Do you have a disaster plan that includes who is responsible for damage assessment and file recovery?
• Who is responsible for setting up, managing, and implementing file integrity technology/systems?
• Have you created a plan for fixity verification, security, authenticity checking and virus checks? Who will perform these tasks?
• Who is responsible for setting up, managing, and implementing file access tools or processes?
• Do you regularly collect and/or create preservation metadata?
• Do you have a migration plan for updating file types that become obsolete?