PDF/A

Since creating the test Scoping template in July, I’ve been trying to find someone to give me feedback on it – but with no success yet. Consequently, I have decided that I must press on with or without feedback. To that end, today I researched PDF/A  on the net and discovered that it is a standard which specifies certain features which will make PDF/A files more independent and self-contained and therefore more likely to be readable in the future. This is clearly a better format than ordinary PDF to store files in for the long term. Apparently, a more recent version of my PDF software (eCopy PDF Pro Office from Nuance) does support PDF/A and is available as a free download. I plan to obtain the upgrade, check out its PDF/A capabilities and then, armed with that knowledge, I shall follow up the Scoping document previously created for the Mementos collection with a Preservation Plan document.

12 Step Scoping Template

Over the last few weeks I’ve tried out both the Plato 4 tool (http://www.ifs.tuwien.ac.at/dp/plato/intro/) and the DPC 12-question template provided me by William Kilbride. Plato is a free comprehensive web-based tool for which you have to register to use and which you can then use for any number of collections. It takes you through a workflow which includes inputting sample documents and defining experiments to test preservation options. However, it doesn’t provide any guidance on what those options could be. It is clearly aimed at institutions with large complex collections, however, as an owner of relatively small collections, I found it useful to experience the preservation steps that it takes you through. The 12 step questionnaire is a much more flexible tool, which while also being designed for large institutional collections (as indicated by the inclusion of a variety of Risk Management information) is much more flexible and is easily adapted for use for small personal collections.

I tried out both tools on a small uncomplicated collection of some 800 files of Mementos and Personal Electronic documents (Test of 12-step Template) and came up with the following initial observations (which I have relayed back to William Kilbride and Neil Beagrie):
A. Neither tool provides specific technical guidance on what to do.
B. Plato is designed for large institutional collections and, of the two, the DPC 12 step tool is most adaptable for use with Personal Information collections.
C. The 12 step template seems to be more of a Scoping document which would be a precursor to a Plan.
D. Neither tool mentions a Maintenance Schedule but seem to assume that the Preservation Plan will incorporate both immediate and long term actions. I believe it will be more effective to separate the two so that an initial project (which includes a task to produce a Maintenance Schedule) can be defined, completed and closed.

I now have a way forward – I shall create the following three sets of documentation to perform Digital Preservation work on a particular collection:

  • Scoping document (adapted from the Kilbride 12 step template)
  • Preservation Plan (which will define specific actions to be taken immediately:
  • Maintenance Schedule (which will define actions to be taken during the lifetime of the collection)

The Collections I shall perform this work on are:

  1. PAW-PERS – approx 800 Personal Files of various uncomplicated file types with an Excel index
  2. Photos – approx 14,000 – mainly JPGs with an Excel index
  3. e-Books – approx 180 books from my bookshelves that I have scanned to PDF, with an Excel Index
  4. PAW/DOC – approx 180,000 personal work files currently in a Document Management System with a linked Filemaker Pro index.

The key information I am still missing is specific guidance on preservation actions that can be taken such as what are the best long term file formats. I’ve asked William Kilbride if any such guidance is documented in one place, but suspect I am going to have to rely on individuals to help me find it. Hence, I am trying to find someone who I can collaborate with and have started by emailing Jenny Bunn at UCL and shall also contact the three names that William Kilbride suggested.

First step – try out two approaches

To get started on this work, I’ve been looking for examples of Preservation Plans that I can use to understand what I need to do. However, they are not so easy to find. Descriptions of Preservation Planning Policies and Processes are available but these tend to be aimed at institutions managing large collections. I need something that will work for relatively small collections owned by individuals. To get some idea of what is available, I spoke to William Kilbride of the Digital Preservation Coalition, who was kind enough to provide me with some training materials which include 12 questions to answer to devise a Preservation Plan. He also advised me to take a look at the Plato online tool for constructing a plan. I think I’m going to take one of my collections and have a quick try out of both approaches before deciding exactly how to proceed. William also very kindly gave me three contact names who I could try in my search for a collaborator on this topic. So, I’ll also be following them up in the coming weeks.

Digital Preservation Planning

With today’s computer technology, it’s never been easier to collect and enjoy digital artefacts. However, creating the artefacts in the first place is simply not enough to ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy them in the long-term or be able to hand them down to family members. Unfortunately, the technology we use continues to change rapidly, so the hardware and software that works today is unlikely to be of much use in twenty years time. So, to ensure that a digital collection will be accessible and usable for years to come, it’s necessary to make a plan – a Digital Preservation Plan – and then to apply it. This is what I need to do for all the various digital collections that I’ve been working on and discussing in the OFC website; and I’m going to use the practical experience I gain in the process to assess the usefulness of today’s Preservation Planning guidance and tools and, if I find any shortcomings, try to make suggestions for improvement to the professional community working in this field.