Who guards the guards: meeting the challenges of digital preservation

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Brown, Heather

Affiliations: Assistant Director, Paper, Artlab Australia and Project Officer, State Library of South Australia for University of S A Business Information Course

Note: [] E-mail: Brown.Heather@dpc.sa.gov.au

Abstract: This paper discusses the importance of preserving digital knowledge over a period of time, the challenges, priorities and the various principles and strategies for long term preservation. It draws on a risk management framework, using the analogy of ‘who guards the guards’ to explore the implications of dangers, the roles of those who safeguard digital content, and various strategies – technological, resourcing and organizational – for mitigating risks over a period of time. Three key strategies potentially have the capacity to profoundly influence the survival of digital knowledge into the future: collaboration and alliances, risk management and quality assurance, and education and training.

DOI: 10.3233/WDL-120034

Journal: World Digital Libraries - An international journal, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 51-67, 2009