Electronic Archives Preservation and Access

1. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation - 300 years? Documentation Access The Challenges Massive quantities! Too easy! (Psst! Want some disks, tapes?) Formats, media, operating systems, hardware Metadata, programs Migration, refreshing Electronic Archives Preservation and Access

2. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Limited resources Choices required Standards for choice Collecting policies Soliciting records Deaccessioning records Selecting Important Records

3. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Essential to your mission Convenient for your users Maintenance cost Technical expertise Media obsolescence Format obsolescence Space requirements Alternatives accessible? Standards for Choice

4. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Taking full responsibility Deed of Gift - full rights? Provenance - its “history” Documenting the record Standard accession terms Condition, format, media Dates, places, persons Creating a finding aid Process of Accession

5. Physical safety theft (locks, alarms, inventory) fire, water (alarms, containers) Preserving integrity erasure, corruption, changes Versions Original, master (archival), duplicating and user copies Disaster planning Training, support, supplies Special needs for electronic The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Securing the Record

6. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Environmental controls temperature humidity dust airborne pollutants magnetic fields Pest control-fungi! Mold, mildew treatment Slowing Deterioration - General

7. Formats still images: jpg, gif, bmp, wmf, tiff moving images: avi, mov, rm audio: au, wav, dat docs: doc, wpd, pdf, lwp, html, rtf, txt spreadsheets: 123, xls, wk1 e-mail: dbx, mime, databases: dbf, mdb OS’s: Windows, MAC, Linux Media physical: disc (CD, DVD), tape, on-line type: magnetic, optical The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Slowing Deterioration - Digital

8. Problems Some become unreadable in 2-3 years Some unreadable by your computer Delamination Warping Reasons Handling Storage: short and long term Formats Physical characteristics: dyes The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Slowing Deterioration - CD/DVD

9. Media and Formats Highest quality CD-R v. CD-RW; read only Environment Cool, dry, stable Low light UV in sunlight and florescent Handling Edges and center hole Avoid scratches, fingerprints Center-supported jewel cases Avoid adhesives, pens Inspect and Test The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Slowing Deterioration - CD/DVD

10. The Care and Handling of Recorded Sound Materialshttp://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byauth/st-laurent/care.html Digitization Reconsidered http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/preservation/information/audiovisual/lindner/lindner.htm The Do’s and Don'ts of Videotape Carehttp://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/preservation/information/audiovisual/wheeler/jim.htm Baltimore Academic Libraries Consortium Disaster Preparedness Planhttp://disaster.lib.msu.edu/balcplan.cfm Handbook for Digital Projects - Digital Longevity (nedcc)http://www.nedcc.org/digital/ix.htm Slowing Deterioration - Resources

11. Formats proprietary, risky few standards, changing Media unreliable, esp. magnetic few standards, changing Access to older formats/media Migrating to new formats/media The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Maintaining Access - Issues

12. Content by Level Collection level Series Items Electronic additions System requirements Program requirements File formats Schedule for inspecting, copying, migrating, reformatting The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Documentation Detail

13. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Protect Master Copies Physically segregate Password protect Backup regularly Create duplicating master Create User Copies Locate Records Inventory Logical arrangement Finding aid, indexes, including web-based standard Knowledgeable people Prepare for Access

14. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Appropriate equipment Identification, registration Allow users to create digital copies? MF  digital; digital  digital Supervision Orientation to finding aids and equipment Provide user with protected copies Review of copies used for damage Access on Site

15. The Basics Selection Accession Preservation Documentation Access Distribute physical duplicates Web site Indexes, finding aids, databases Post images, sounds File download options Provide context E-Mail Receive requests; deliver digital files Bill by credit card, Pay Pal e.g., Maine Memory Network; Maine Archives Interactive Remote Access

16. Volume is Access frequency is Access time Multiple use is Security requirement Retention Budget available is Moderate-Very High Moderate-High Short Low Very High Moderate-Very High Moderate-High Convert to microfilm, if . . .

17. Volume is Access frequency is Access time Multiple use is Security requirement Retention Budget available is Moderate-Very High High-Very High Very Short-Short High-Very High Moderate N/A Very High Convert to digital images, if . . .

18. Wrong Reason Need more storage space Organize the records Preserve the records Why not? Less expensive options available Should be done before scanning Less expensive options available Reasons NOT to Scan

19. Pro’s Archival medium Low cost per image Security copy off-site Printed copies available Integrity of records high Human readable Low or no indexing cost Computer retrieval,rapid, non-sequential access Digital conversion option Con’s Document preparation Off-site filming Moderate cost Cost of verifying images Moderate cost for viewer Higher cost: viewer/printer User unfamiliarity Color usually not available Sequential access without higher cost Microfilm - Pro’s and Con’s

20. Pro’s On-site imaging Simultaneous access Rapid, easy access Security copy off-site Printed copies available Flexible indexing Integrity of records high Color available Microfilm conversion option Con’s Document preparation Non-archival, need to keep archival originals or film them Cost of verifying images High cost per image High equipment cost Not-human readable Cost of indexing Maintenance/upgrade costs Scanning - Pro’s and Con’s

21. Size and layout Standard size/layout may be rapidly microfilmed or scanned with automated equipment - low cost for large volume Non-standard, varying sizes need special, labor intensive attention to film or scan Condition of the media and clarity of the content Fragile paper is more costly to prepare and to film or scan Faded, low contrast and/or handwritten content needs special, labor intensive attention to film or scan Special Needs Search by unindexed record content (phrase, keywords) Convert paper to digital? Distribute throughout the organization or over the Internet Other Considerations

22. Budget - amount Staff - number Training - level Equipment - research appropriate Space: operations and storage Equipment: get, maintain, upgrade Data migration, software upgrade Initial Annual ________|__________ ________|__________ ________|__________ ________|__________ ________|__________ ________|__________ ________|__________ Resource Requirements

23. Q & A!