The Libraries celebrate World Digital Preservation Day on Thursday, November 2, 2023. Organized by the Digital Preservation Coalition, World Digital Preservation Day is supported by archivist networks around the globe to promote the importance and benefits of digital preservation.
Digital preservation combines policies, strategies and actions to ensure access to content that is born digital or converted to digital form regardless of the challenges of file corruption, media failure and technological change. Digital preservation aims to secure the most accurate rendering possible of authenticated content over time.
This year’s theme, “Digital Preservation: A Concerted Effort,” recognizes that digital preservation is not an isolated activity nor a single individual’s responsibility. Rather, digital preservation requires the active participation, collaboration and engagement of colleagues, partner institutions and community members.
Locally, the Binghamton University Libraries support digital preservation, whether born digital or digitized, by utilizing Ex Libris’s Rosetta Digital Preservation System, a system designed to ensure data integrity and access over time. However, we understand that having access to a “tool” is just one part of the digital preservation equation. A successful digital preservation program requires commitment, governance, collaboration and expertise.
Forward strides have been made for digital preservation. A cross-departmental group now meets regularly to discuss digital preservation projects’ status and identify future priorities. The governance and engagement provided by the cross-departmental group positions digital preservation as a library-wide initiative and focus. embers of this group also participated in several month Rosetta training which enabled everyone to better understand Rosetta’s configuration and capabilities.
Another example of the Libraries’ concerted efforts in digital preservation is our participation in national and international organizations that support digital preservation. For example, Senior Director for Library Technology and Digital Strategies David Schuster, is the Ex Libris Users North American (ELUNA) liaison for the Rosetta Working Group. Erin Rushton, head of Digital Initiatives, has presented on Rosetta at ELUNA conferences. These opportunities combined enable us to engage in digital preservation conversations with colleagues worldwide.
While we have made progress, the Libraries continuously strive to learn more about digital preservation best practices to increase our capacity to preserve at-risk digital material. We encourage the campus community to reach out to us if they have questions about digital preservation or would like to discuss preserving their own resources.
For more information about Digital Preservation at Binghamton University Libraries see: