NPO Journal I Am Pleased to Introduce the National Preservation
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e editorial NPO News & comment NPO Journal I am pleased to introduce the National Preservation Subscriptions: Office's national preservation strategy consultation UK£25 Overseas £30 (surface mail) document: A national preservation strategy for or £34 (airmail) library and archive collections in the United Subscription address: Kingdom and Ireland: principles and prospects, Turpin Distribution Services Ltd launched at the British Council seminar 'Libraries, Blackhorse Road Letchworth Museums and Archives' on 29 january 2001 . Hertfordshire SG6 1 HN Tel: 01462 672555 The development of a national preservation strategy for both traditional and d igital Fax : 01462 480947 collections is the overarching objective forthe NPO to achieve its primary aim: to provide an independent focus for ensuring the preservation and continued Publisher, editorial office: accessibility ofl ibrary and archive materials held in the United Kingdom and Ireland. National Preservation Office During the past two years the NPO has developed a range of tools designed to The British Library underpin the strategy. In order to identify and locate the written and documentary 96 Euston Road heritage, the Office has developed and tested a web based database of collection London NW1 2DB strengths, retention intentions an d preservation status. Tel: 020 7412 7612 The NPO, together with the Public Record Office, has developed a standard survey Fax: 020 7412 7796 methodology to assess the preservation needs of both library and archive collections. The NPO has developed a database and guidance to enable institutions to carry out E-mail: npo@b l.uk the survey. The information gathered will enable both the institution and the NPO to develop programmes for sharing preservation responsibi I ities. National Preservation Underpinning the successful implementation of the national preservation strategy Office is the need for personnel at all levels to have access to appropriate education and supported by training. The NPO is working with I ibrary, archive and conservation professionals The British Library to develop preservation management curricula, and through regular seminars with The Public Record Office institutions, organisations, and profess ional bodies to continue its longstanding The National Library of commitment to disseminate ' best practice' in collections care for both traditional and Scotland digital media. Trinity College Library Dublin Funding Agencies are key to ensuring that scarce resources are applied according to accepted 'best practice'. The NPO will publish guidanceforfunding bodies w hich The Consortium of University receive applications from individuals and institutions for preservation management Research Libraries and conservation programmes. Cambridge University Library The NPO Management Committee commends this document to you. If you require The National Library of Wales any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me on 020 74 12 7612. The Bodleian Library, Oxford University Cover Photograph: Michael Banks The view s expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the Ed itor, the NPO or DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PRESERVATIO N OFFICE The British Library. I the NPO Journal - - ----- ------. e digital preservation coalition Towards a Digital Preservation Coalition in the UK By NeiiBeagrie,Assistant Director (Preservation), joint Information Systems Committee UJSC)/Distributed National Electronic Resource (DNER) This article provides the background to decision makers and funders in terms commitment to the principles of the Digital Preservation Summit (January that they wi II understand and fi nd openness and dissemination in the 2001 ), held to discuss the establishment persuasive. Projects and initiatives draft manifesto; of a D igital Preservation Coalition in the are proliferating, and institutions 2. Core coalition activities of common UK. It was hosted by the British Library saw significant value in developing interest and benefit to al l members and the Joint Information Systems an umbrell a organisation to help supported by resources from its Committee (J ISC), and faci litated by JI SC coordinate and monitor on their membership; Digital Preservation Focus an d the N PO . behalf. Despite sectoral differences, 3. Collaborative projects and Electronic resources form an mo st ofthe technical and some programmes taken forward w ith increasingly large part of our cultural organisational issues remain the project fu nding drawn from a variety and intellectual heritage. In addition to same for all organisations. Efforts by of sources; electronic publications, the web, and individual institutions and sectors 4. The creation and further e-commerce, there is an array of new can be coordinated to achieve development of a national digital UK initiatives and legislation, from w ider national benefits. The Digital archiving infrastructure in the UK. Modernising Covernmentto the Preservation Coa lition could also tap Freedom ofInformation Act, which is additional skills and funding and help Suggested core activities and putting an onus on public organisations contribute to the development of first programmes included: to provide access to their information, to national strategies, infrastru cture • awareness-raising among key funders manage it and to archive it in electronic and skills in digital preservation. and stakeholders; form. In the research arena, there In 2000 JI SC established a post w ithin • development of a digital preservation are also sign ificant developments the Distributed National Electronic portal incorporating the Preservation particularly in the sciences towards Resource (DNER), to provide a focal Management of Digital Materials very large primary research data sets. point for digital preservation activit ies Workbook, in collaboration w ith Electronic resources, whether created w ithin the higher and further education international partners; (see pp. 14/15) initially through digitisation or 'born' communities, and to help establish and • establish ing a dialogue with software digital, are threatened by technological support the Coalition. A lthough the and hardware manufacturers; obsolescence and physical deterioration. exact remit, shape and programme • developing standards to support O ur ability to preserve access to these for the Coalition w ill be resolved in digital preservation; resources into the future depends on the consultation w ith proposed members, a • train ing in the skills and collaboration and engagement of a wide draft outline and its remit was discussed competencies needed for digital range of stakeholders. at the Summit. preservation; National and local institutions and • applied practical research and services need to develop the capacity, Outcomes from the Summit development in member institutions ski lis and expertise to manage digital Participants representing national, and shari ng experience; intellectual and cultural assets for university and public libraries, archives, • archiving of commercial e-journals; the long term, and insti tutions have data archiving services, pub I ishe rs, • web archiving. recognised the value of collaboration research councils and government JISC and the BL agreed to continue in addressing these issues. The bodies unanimously endorsed the discussions w ith potential Coalition establishment of a Digital Preservation need for coordinated work on partners and to coordinate its Coalition to do this was the principal digita l preservation and for the establishment. recommendation of the Warwick II establishment of a Coal ition. The digital preservation workshop (1999), aim ofthe Coalition w ill be to develop For further information see: which had representation from a w ide aUK digital preservation agenda in www.jisc.ac.uk/dne r/preservation/ range of sectors and institutions. an international context. dpcintro.htm. Enquiries contact: A coalition was sought because It was seen as operat ing on four levels: Ne il Beagrie, [email protected], attendees recognised that they needed 1. Activities undertaken individually or JI SC office, King's College London, a collaborative effort to get digital by members, but accomplished Strand Bridge House, 138 - 142 Strand, preservation on the agenda of key and coordinated in line with their Lo ndo n WC2 1 HH. ~ the NPO Journal I inter national collaboration e A Preservation Office for Argentina By Susan Meden, Vice President/Directora de Programas, Fundaci6n Patrimonio Hist6rico A Preservation Office for Argentina (OAP) has been established, with the help of the National Preservation Office for the UK and Ireland (N PO) and the British Library (BL) . The Office will be supported by the Fundaci6n Patrimonio Hist6rico and run in partnership with the main libraries and archives in Argentina. Institutions and private collectors nationwide wi II also benefit from the initiative. The Patrimonio Hist6rico is a foundation Between 1998 and 2000 the to learn about the UK NPO and devoted to the preservation of the Fundaci6n invited both independent preservation within the British Library, cultural heritage in Argentina. This UK experts and experts from th e which resulted in lengthy discussions has been achieved through education British Library to lecture and teach on the establishment of an OAP. and information activities, both for on ethical and technical issues in An audience of over 300 delegates the public and the profess ionals book conservation. They taught in including librarians, archivists, working in preservation.