Digital Preservation

Digital preservation is one of the components in the lifecycle of digitization, along with creation, storage and search and discovery.  Commonly referred to as digital curation in the United Kingdom, the goal of digital preservation is to assure long-term accessibility of born digital and reformatted objects. 

There are numerous definitions of digital preservation.  For the purpose of this document, we will be using the RLG-OCLC Report, Trusted Digital Repositories: Attributes and Responsibilities (TDR) definition.  Digital preservation is the managed activities necessary for ensuring both the long-term maintenance of digital information and the continued accessibility of its contents.  Other definitions that might be of interest include the American Library Association’s ALCTS Preservation and Reformatting Section’s Digital Preservation Definition. 

The TDR defines the attributes of a digital archive/repository within the context of cultural heritage content, building the Reference Model for an Open Archive Information System (OAIS). OAIS provides a conceptual framework for the understanding and increased awareness of archival concepts needed for long-term digital information preservation and access.  Tools and software applications are being developed to support the range of activities necessary in a comprehensive digital preservation plan.

To support digital preservation, it is critical to capture administrative, structural  and technical data associated with each object. It means following industry accepted best practices and open standards, and it relies on sustainable storage
strategies .

Footnote the NEDCC document Conway, Paul. “The Relevance of Preservation in a Digital World” Northeast Document Conservation Center. (2007),