1. E-Archiving Subgroup Feedback
Tim Ellis
Chief Executive
National Records of Scotland

2. Introduction Revolutionise or die Bridging the skills gap
What do we need to do differently?
What are users’ expectations?
What is the role of EAG?
Bridging the skills gap
What are the gaps in digital skills?
What skills are available?
How do we bridge the gap?

3. Challenge We don’t want to “die” That means a paradigm shift
From digitisation of current practice to new digital practice
At all stages, from record creation to the end of the record journey
But disrupt, don’t destroy
Challenge for us as leadership group
Setting the culture and finding the resources

4. Main Issues
Much new digital is temporary, but still essential for telling the story
Legislative view is often “document” not “content” – normally now not true
Requires different view of archival practice
Scarcity of people at the crossover with “digital” and “archiving” skills
Difficulty attracting talented people in a competitive labour market (pay)
Requires change in organisation culture, from stable to ever changing – increased flexibility

5. Open Questions Three big questions remain
Story
Keep
Use
Who has most influence over educating and changing the profession?
Can we share new practice and knowledge more rapidly?
Can we collaborate across institutions?

6. Lessons Learned Three big questions:
Where is the story? Where are the real records?
What should we keep?
How will it be used?
Not just threat - opportunity to reinvigorate institutions
But, where are the people? Universities not equipping the profession with the skills we need

7. Next Steps Need to understand where the story is – needs research
Need to work more with record creators – not make burdensome for administrators
Promote paradigm shift for record capture
Attract digital people to archiving and give them archivists skills
Short training courses; identify trainers and improve teaching base (role for DLM Forum; ERASMUS etc.)
Short secondments for digital archivists

8. Process
Build on DLM Forum Report, with “recommendations” – for Commission, EAG/EBNA, National Institutions, etc.
Focus towards next EAG/EBNA, if WG wants to
Continue with Sub-Group, virtually or in person – who is interested?

9. Conclusions There is a big technical challenge
Finding the people, resources, training etc to meet that is key and difficult
Too big for any one of us - collaboration is essential
BUT also a leadership challenge
Context is critical, we need to act together and in our local political environments to achieve the paradigm shift