LIS-S 582 Digital Preservation
3 credits
- Prerequisite(s): LIS-S 500, LIS-S 507 and LIS-S 503 or LIS-S 581
- Delivery: Online
- Semesters offered: Fall, Spring (Check the schedule to confirm.)
Description
This course introduces approaches for preserving and ensuring long-term access to and reuse of digitized and born-digital information (text, images, data, and audiovisual information). Topics include the promise and challenges of long-term digital preservation and curation; longevity of digital media; integrity and authenticity of digital materials; selection for preservation; formats and strategies for preservation; preservation metadata; risk management; information technologies that are relevant to the digital curation lifecycle; and establishment of trustworthy digital repositories.
Program Learning Goals Supported
Instructors map their courses to specific LIS Program Goals. Mapped program goals drive the design of each course and what students can expect to generally learn.
- Curate Collections for Designated Communities
- Organize and Represent Information
- Conduct Systematic Research to Inform Decisions
- Innovate Professional Practice with Information Services and Technology
Learning Outcomes
Instructors develop learning outcomes for their courses. Students can expect to be able to achieve the learning outcomes for a given course after successfully completing the course.
- Identify and define the primary considerations in preserving digital media
- Evaluate and consider the media and format most appropriate for preservation of digital objects
- Evaluate digital preservation strategies, methods, and tools and decide which are appropriate for specific types of content and user communities
- Compare and discriminate among the different short-term and long-term strategies for digital preservation, including migration, and emulation
- Evaluate metadata requirements for the preservation of digital resources
- Evaluate the risks to digital collections and suggest potential solutions for reducing risk
Course Overview
Instruction is in Canvas. Lessons are organized into Modules whose length may vary.
Module 1: Intro to Digital Preservation: Dilemmas and Critical Challenges
- What is digital preservation?
- Why should we care about digital preservation?
- How is digital preservation different from analog preservation?
Module 2: Fundamentals of Digital Preservation 1: Concepts, Terminology, Standards, and Systems
- Basic terminology
- Overview of standards and systems
Module 3: Fundamentals of Digital Preservation 2: Integrity, Stability, and Authenticity
- Concept of longevity
- Concepts of integrity, stability and authenticity
Module 4: Digital Preservation Framework
- Open Archival Information System (OAIS) model
- Digital Curation Center (DCC) Curation Lifecycle model
Module 5: Understanding the Digital Object
- Structure and nature of digital information and media
- File format standards, identification, validation
- Artefactual and informational qualities
Module 6: Strategies for Digital Preservation
- Scaling bit preservation: approach by institution size & resources
- Redundancy & LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe)
- Transformation: migration, normalization, documentation
- Rendering: emulation, virtualization
Module 7: Preservation Planning
- Elements of Preservation Programs
- Digital Preservation Program Planning
- Developing Preservation Policy
Module 8: Selection and Appraisal for Preservation & Preserving Characteristics
- Selection and appraisal for short-term and long-term retention
- Importance of preserving context
- Significant properties
Module 9: Preservation metadata
- Emerging standards and tools for implementation
- Preservation Metadata Implementation Strategies (PREMIS)
- Metadata Encoding Transmission System (METS)
Module 10: Storage Management and Digital Repository Technology
- Long-term storage management
- Open source software to support digital preservation activities
- Digital preservation infrastructure
- Fixity checking and digital forensics
Module 11: Trusted Repository
- Concept of Trusted Digital Repositories (TDRs)
- RLG/NARA Trusted Digital Repository (TDR) Certification Checklist
Module 12: Sustainable Preservation
- Risk management
- Disaster planning
- Economics of digital preservation
Module 13. Ethical Access and Use, Rights Management
- Ethical access and use of digital content
- Copyright and rights management
Module 14: Future of Digital Preservation
- What’s next for the field of digital preservation?
- What are scholars predicting or working on for the future?
- Computational archival science (topic modeling, natural language processing, etc.)
- Environmental impact of digital preservation
Module 15: Final Project
Policies and Procedures
Please be aware of the following linked policies and procedures. Note that in individual courses instructors will have stipulations specific to their course.