Joint Information Systems CommitteeSupporting education and research JISC Conference 2006 Supporting digital curation to safeguard research data Sponsored by

Supporting digital curation to safeguard research data: role of the BL/JISC Partnership Neil Beagrie British Library/JISC JISC Conference 2006

BL/JISC Partnership Long history (eg. Warwick 1995) Joint Partnership Manager since 2004 Formal MOU since 2005 Important collaboration for UK

Joint Projects, Services, Strategic collaboration Currently some 16 joint projects, services, and collaborations: Some examples: –Digital Preservation Coalition –DTI e-infrastructure (UK Science and Innovation Investment framework) –EU research infrastructures –proposed Alliance for Permanent Access to Records of Science –E-theses –Newspaper and audio digitisation Often involve BL/JISC and other partners

The Digital Preservation Coalition

Raises the profile of Digital Preservation Runs advocacy campaign which targets stakeholders: Owners and Creators of digital resources; Funding bodies Provides examples of Good Practice Highlights where gaps and priorities for action and responsibility are Acts as catalyst for Action Builds partnerships, disseminating information; maintaining current awareness, develops projects Rationale for the DPC

March 1999: Workshop recommended establishing a Digital Preservation Coalition June 2000: JISC Preservation Focus post established. Its main priority was to establish the DPC July 2001: launch of DPC as a consortium July 2002: DPC becomes a not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee May 2003: New post of Executive Secretary was established, first full-time employee March 2006: 29 members of the DPC, comprising a wide cross-sectoral range. Subscription income of circa £150,000 per year Timeline

UK Science and Innovation Investment Framework

Information Infrastructure 2.23 The growing UK research base must have ready and efficient access to information of all kinds – such as experimental data sets, journals, theses, conference proceedings and patents… It is clear that the research community needs access to information mechanisms which: systematically collect, preserve and make available digital information;… The Government [via DTI] will therefore work with interested funders and stakeholders to consider the national e-infrastructure (hardware, networks, communications technology) necessary to deliver an effective system.

E-Infrastructure WGs DTI Steering Group has: –Commissioned roadmap study –Established 6 sub-groups: Middleware and AAA and DRM Networks and computer power and storage hardware Search and navigation Information and data creation Virtual research communities Preservation and curation –Each WG to report by end March 2006

Preservation & Curation WG Inputs to its draft report: –Warwick workshop outcomes –E-infrastructure roadmap –DPC national needs assessment –Input from WG members and virtual membership

Preservation & Curation WG Next steps: –Final draft report late March –DTI steering group provides combined report and SR2007 submission

European Union

EU initiatives i2010 –Consultation on cultural heritage (to Jan 2006) –Future consultation on scientific information FP6 FP7 3 rd EU Conference on Research Infrastructures Nottingham Dec 2005 –ICT and information infrastructure strand

EU Working Groups ESFRI E-infrastructure reflection group Taskforce on Permanent Access to the Records of Science Moves towards Alliance for Permanent Access to the Records of Science

Conclusions BL and JISC are both large and significant players in UK and international activity Collaboration and partnership are critical part of digital preservation and curation Work at both UK and international level BL/JISC partnership helps to promote this for benefit of UK education and research