March 4, 2010 -- Members of the MetaArchive Cooperative have written A Guide to Distributed Digital Preservation.
The guide successfully tackles two important issues for cultural memory organizations. First, it establishes a persuasive argument for a collaborative context in digital preservation. The question of benefits typically comes up in connection with partnerships, and the guide provides clear answers.
Second, the guide provides practical information about how to protect digital assets. While the authors note that they are relying on their own specialized experience, the guide outlines concrete methods that are broadly applicable. Libraries, archives and other institutions need this kind of pragmatic advice—particularly since the approach taken by MetaArchive can be accomplished at relatively low cost.
Chapters cover topics such as preservation architecture, technical and organizational considerations, and content selection, preparation and management. The technological approach focuses on the Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe software developed by Stanford University, although the authors are quick to point out that distributed digital preservation can use other automated tools.
The guide, edited by Katherine Skinner and Matt Schultz, is available as a freely downloadable pdf file or as a print publication for purchase. Please visit http://www.metaarchive.org/GDDP (external link) to download or order the book.
The MetaArchive Project is supported by the Library of Congress National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program.
