1. Nancy Y. McGovern Digital Preservation Officer, ICPSR IASSIST 2007
Canary in a Coal Mine: A Digital Preservation Response to Technological Change
Nancy Y. McGovern
Digital Preservation Officer, ICPSR
IASSIST 2007

2. Outline Technology response requirements
Common response: Technology Watch
Scope of interest for DP
Priorities for digital preservation
Timing response to technology

3. Technology Response Requirements
The call for responding to technology
e.g., Preserving Digital Information, 1996
The specification of technology response requirements
Most explicit: Monitor Technology, OAIS

4. OAIS: Monitor Technology
Objective: track emerging technologies, information standards, computing platforms
Purpose: avoid obsolescence that could prevent access
Scope: may include prototyping
Activities: provides reports, external data standards, prototype results, alerts
“The Monitor Technology function is responsible for tracking emerging digital technologies, information standards and computing platforms (i.e., hardware and software) to identify technologies which could cause obsolescence in the archive’s computing environment and prevent access to some of the archives current holdings. This function may contain a prototyping capability for better evaluation of emerging technologies and receive prototype requests from Develop Preservation Strategies and Standards and from Develop Package Designs and Migration Plans. This function sends reports, external data standards, prototype results and technology alerts to Develop Preservation Strategies and Standards. It also sends prototype results to Develop Package Designs and Migration Plans.” OAIS, Blue Book, Issue 1 p – 4-14

5. 2. Common Response: Technology Watch
Examples
DPC, DCC, DigiCult, LITA, PRONOM
Characteristics
Range in services reflects absence of definition
Providers tend to select topics not community
Typically lack access to accumulated data
Availability of levels of service is rare

6. Community Formalization
Digital Preservation for Museums: Recommendations - CHIN, 2004
Service requirements
LIFE Project - UCL/BL, 2006
Cost of technology watch for organizations
Strategic Priorities, – SAA
Call for leadership and training

7. 3. Scope of interest for DP: Macro taxonomy
Object: file formats, media metadata
Collection: relationships, metadata
Repository: software, tools, modules
Platform: protocols, security, software, hardware
Organization: policies, procedures, protocols
Standards: IT, Internet, archival, description
External Dependencies: legislation, governance
Competencies: knowledge, skills, experience

8. 3. Scope of interest for DP: Micro taxonomy
35 technology types enable OAIS
Examples
Communication: the ability to convey a message or a specific piece of information
Logs computer: files, often using a standard format, that document activities performed
Policy enforcement: the ability to perform a function or activity using rules to allow or prohibit activities

9. 4. Priorities for digital preservation
Contact: requires direct contact with digital content
Interaction: must respond to, not just be made aware of, changes in digital content
Exploitation: potential to contribute to digital preservation strategies by exploiting opportunities
Risk management: participates in the avoidance of risks to integrity, longevity, or authenticity
Automation: potential to perform more effectively for digital preservation if automated

10. Sample Priority Scores

11. 5. Timing response to technology
Identify potential new technology
Monitor new technology
Assess new technology
Respond to new technology
Act to avoid obsolescence of existing technologies

13. Technology Responsiveness
Community objectives
accumulate current and historical information
develop competencies and tools
incorporate organisational developments
build a network of contributors and users
ensure sustainability

14. “…the best way to forecast the future is to create it.”
Michael J. Gelb
“The most reliable way to forecast the future is to try to understand the present.”
John Naisbitt