Forwarded from the NINCH list.

>>> NINCH-ANNOUNCE <[log in to unmask]> 01/23/01 11:43AM >>>
NINCH ANNOUNCEMENT
News on Networking Cultural Heritage Resources
from across the Community
January 23, 2001



        TOWARDS A DIGITAL PRESERVATION COALITION IN THE U.K.


Following a March 1999 Digital Preservation Workshop at Warwick 
University and a recent Digital Preservation Summit in London January 
16, 2001, steps seem to be well underway in the creation of a Digital 
Preservation Coalition in the UK.

This seems to be very promising in raising awareness, implementing 
some immediate practical projects and in conducting vital 
preservation research. I urge all to read the following piece.

David Green
===========



>Date:         Mon, 22 Jan 2001 09:01:43 EST
>Sender: Digital-Preservation Announcement and Information List 
><[log in to unmask]>
>From: "Neil Beagrie," <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:      Towards a Digital Preservation Coalition in the UK
>To: [log in to unmask] 

dear all

a very successful and productive summit was held in London on 16th 
January to discuss the formation of the digital preservation 
coalition. The following text for an article/report will appear in 
various publications shortly and is also posted to this list
Neil
******************************************************

Summary
This article reports on proposals to establish a Digital Preservation 
Coalition in the UK. The Coalition aims to develop a UK digital 
preservation agenda within an international context. The article 
provides background on the issues and proposals and reports on a 
digital preservation summit held in London on 16th January 2001 to 
discuss establishment of the Coalition.


1. Introduction
Electronic resources form an increasingly large part of our cultural 
and intellectual heritage. In addition to electronic publications, 
the Web, and e-commerce, there is an array of new UK initiatives and 
legislation, from Modernising Government to the Freedom of 
Information Act, which is putting an onus on public organisations to 
provide access to, manage and archive their information in electronic 
form. In the research arena, there are also significant developments 
particularly in the sciences towards very large primary research data 
sets in electronic form e.g. in genomics or earth sciences.
There are significant challenges associated with ensuring access and 
preservation of these materials into the future.  Electronic 
resources regardless of whether they are created initially through 
digitisation or are "born" digital are threatened by technological 
obsolescence and physical deterioration. With content from 
international publishers, increasing globalisation and sharing of 
resources, and the involvement of a range of libraries, archives, 
services, and cultural heritage organisations, our ability to 
preserve access to these electronic resources into the future depends 
on the collaboration and engagement of a wide range of stakeholders.

National institutions and services, and individual local institutions 
increasingly need to raise awareness of digital preservation, and 
develop capacity, skills and expertise to administer or manage for 
the long-term intellectual and cultural assets they have developed in 
digital form.  These institutions have recognised the value of 
collaboration in addressing digital preservation. Establishment of a 
Digital Preservation Coalition was the principal recommendation of 
the Warwick II digital preservation workshop held in March 1999, 
which had representation from a wide range of sectors, institutions, 
and practitioners in digital preservation.

There are a number of reasons why institutions at Warwick wished to 
establish a Coalition.  First, attendees recognised they needed a 
collaborative effort to get digital preservation on the agenda of key 
decision-makers and funders in terms that they will find persuasive 
and understand. Secondly, projects and initiatives are proliferating 
and the institutions themselves felt there would be significant value 
in developing the umbrella organisation to help coordinate and keep a 
watching brief and monitoring role on their behalf.  Thirdly, despite 
sectoral differences it was felt that most of the technical and some 
organisational issues remain the same for all organisations. There 
are therefore significant synergies and mutual self-interest in 
collaboration. At the same time the efforts of individual 
institutions and sectors can be leveraged and co-ordinated through 
collaboration to achieve wider national benefits. Finally, it was 
felt that the Digital Preservation Coalition could tap additional 
skills and funding and help address and contribute to development of 
national strategies, infrastructure and skills in digital 
preservation.

Concrete action towards the establishment of the Coalition is now in 
progress.  In June 2000 JISC established a post within the DNER and 
appointed Neil Beagrie to provide a focal point for digital 
preservation activities within JISC and the higher and further 
education communities, and to help establish and support the 
Coalition proposed at Warwick. Although the exact remit, shape and 
programme for the Coalition will be resolved in consultation with 
proposed members, a draft outline of the Coalition and its remit and 
work was discussed at a digital preservation summit held in London on 
16th January 2001.


2. Outcomes from the Summit

Participants representing national, university and public libraries, 
archives, data archiving services, publishers, research councils and 
government bodies unanimously endorsed the need for co-ordinated work on digital preservation and for the establishment of a coalition. 
Participants recognised that the subject is bigger than any one 
institution or sector.

It was agreed that the aim of the Coalition will be to develop a UK 
digital preservation agenda within an international context.

The Coalition was seen as operating on four levels:
* activities undertaken individually by member institutions and 
sectors but accomplished and co-ordinated in line with their 
commitment to the principles of openness and dissemination in the 
draft manifesto;
* core coalition activities of common interest and benefit to all its 
members supported by resources from its membership;
* collaborative projects and programmes which would be taken forward 
with project funding drawn from a variety of sources.
* the creation and further development of a national digital 
archiving infrastructure in the UK.

Suggestions for core activities and first programmes included:
* awareness raising amongst key funders and stakeholders;
* development of a digital preservation portal incorporating the 
Preservation Management of Digital Materials Workbook, in 
collaboration with international partners;
* establishing a dialogue with software and hardware manufacturers;
* developing standards to support digital preservation;
* training and addressing the skills and competencies needed for 
digital preservation;
* applied practical research and development in member institutions 
and sharing experience;
* archiving of commercial e journals;
* web archiving.


Funding and the most effective organisational model for the Coalition 
were discussed, and JISC and the BL agreed to continue discussions 
with potential partners in the Coalition and to co-ordinate its 
establishment.

Further general information and news on the Coalition will be 
disseminated via the digital-preservation email list on JISCmail). 
Enquiries about the coalition can be addressed in the first instance 
to Neil Beagrie email [log in to unmask], JISC office, King's 
College London, Strand Bridge House, 138 -142 Strand, London WC2 1HH.

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