Digital Here Now, Maybe Forever? Collecting and Collaborations Robert P. Spindler New England Archivists Fall Meeting Storrs, Connecticut October 12, 2007

Archivists and Collaboration Why can’t we go it alone? Why can’t we go it alone? Creators and digital obsolescence Creators and digital obsolescence Lack of professionally managed infrastructure Lack of professionally managed infrastructure Need for specialized technology expertise Need for specialized technology expertise Need for authority/executive champion(s) Need for authority/executive champion(s)

Archivists and Collaboration The Plan (for the next 40 mins. or so): The Plan (for the next 40 mins. or so): Collaboration with creators Collaboration with creators What should we say to them? What should we say to them? What motivates them? What motivates them? Quick university case studies Quick university case studies Enterprise systems Enterprise systems Learning management systems Learning management systems Electronic theses and dissertations Electronic theses and dissertations Lessons Learned Lessons Learned

Archivists and Creators What should we discuss with them? What should we discuss with them? Articulate the digital preservation challenge Articulate the digital preservation challenge Identify sustainable formats – run with pack! Identify sustainable formats – run with pack! Discuss production workflow Discuss production workflow Documentation of ownership (collaborations) Documentation of ownership (collaborations) Transfer to archival system/reliable infrastructure Transfer to archival system/reliable infrastructure

Archivists and Collaboration Creators are motivated by different things: Creators are motivated by different things: Enterprise system content owners are business/transaction driven Enterprise system content owners are business/transaction driven Faculty are interested in tenure and time Faculty are interested in tenure and time Students are motivated by program requirements Students are motivated by program requirements How can we speak to their needs? How can we speak to their needs?

Case Study: Enterprise Student Information System ( ) New SIS to be implemented in 18 months New SIS to be implemented in 18 months Student transcripts are vital records Student transcripts are vital records Archivist comments to CIO’s Wiki Archivist comments to CIO’s Wiki Registrar is supportive but not committed Registrar is supportive but not committed PESC XML Standard PESC XML Standard Meeting with project co-leaders Meeting with project co-leaders

Case Study: Enterprise Student Information System (2007)

Case Study: Learning Management Systems (2003) General Counsel called committee with reps from: General Counsel called committee with reps from: Faculty Faculty University IT University IT University Archives University Archives

Case Study: Learning Management Systems (2003) Counsel interested in rights management, privacy and public records compliance Counsel interested in rights management, privacy and public records compliance University IT interested in deleting obsolete files and avoiding migration costs University IT interested in deleting obsolete files and avoiding migration costs University Archives interested in preserving sample courses for pedagogy and history University Archives interested in preserving sample courses for pedagogy and history Faculty wants to keep everything Faculty wants to keep everything

Case Study: Learning Management Systems (2003) Group identified course components and content lifespan through a flow chart Group identified course components and content lifespan through a flow chart Taxonomy of course components drafted with proposed retention periods for each Taxonomy of course components drafted with proposed retention periods for each

Case Study: Learning Management Systems (2003) Group disbanded in Spring 2004 Group disbanded in Spring 2004 Faculty could not see the justification for deletion of anything Faculty could not see the justification for deletion of anything

Case Study: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Working Group (2001) 22 faculty, librarians, IT staff, Graduate College administrators, + one archivist. 22 faculty, librarians, IT staff, Graduate College administrators, + one archivist. Proposed: Proposed: PDF requirement and optional multimedia PDF requirement and optional multimedia Student self-submission process Student self-submission process Multimedia format standards Multimedia format standards Funding for IT and Graduate College staff Funding for IT and Graduate College staff

Case Study: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Working Group (2001) Technology staff (University and Library): Technology staff (University and Library): Builds submission interface Builds submission interface Maintains storage environment Maintains storage environment Researches migration paths and tests migrations Researches migration paths and tests migrations Librarians review and enhance author-provided metadata Librarians review and enhance author-provided metadata Archivists evaluate preservation and recordkeeping requirements Archivists evaluate preservation and recordkeeping requirements

Case Study: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Working Group (2001) Standards committee receives format standards proposals from students via GC advisors Standards committee receives format standards proposals from students via GC advisors Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence to provide student training Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence to provide student training University was unable or unwilling to support the true costs University was unable or unwilling to support the true costs

Conclusion: Lesson Learned All of these initiatives failed! All of these initiatives failed! We have a responsibility to keep trying We have a responsibility to keep trying Be strategic – pick your spots Be strategic – pick your spots Executive champions are the key: Executive champions are the key: Provosts Provosts Counsel Counsel Auditors Auditors CIOs and Library Deans CIOs and Library Deans

Thanks! Digital Here Now, Maybe Forever? Collecting and Collaborations Robert P. Spindler New England Archivists Fall Meeting Storrs, Connecticut October 12, 2007