"PeDALS made the most sense to me because it was using software and technology that was already out there. It’s something that anybody can do without spending thousands and thousands of dollars."

April 1, 2010 -- The newest partners in the Persistent Digital Archives and Library System research project are quickly seeing practical results.

In five short months, archivists and electronic-records managers from Alabama and New Mexico have set up computer hardware, collaborated on plans and policies for public websites, trained programmers and run tested preservation strategies.

"In my 25 years of learning about handling electronic records, it has all been very theoretical," said Tracey Berezansky, assistant director for government records at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. "Nobody has said, 'Here's step one. OK, now do step two' and so on. We're getting at that practical level now."

Alabama had experience using Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe preservation technology, so joining PeDALS, which also uses LOCKSS for storage, was a perfect fit, Berezansky said. "PeDALS made the most sense to me because it was using software and technology that was already out there. It’s something that anybody can do without spending thousands and thousands of dollars."

But the biggest benefit of the project is that PeDALS "is giving us a road map," Berezansky said. "It’s letting the appraising archivist know, this is what you need to bring in. IT staff, this is what you need to do to move forward with government electronic records for long-term preservation."

Sandra Jaramillo, division director for archives and historical services at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, said her state was "delighted to join a multistate research project that gave us a chance to share best practices."

For Jaramillo, the best part about the project is "the ease with which we can communicate and share information," citing weekly web conferences that keep project partners in touch with what each state is doing.

Berezansky agreed, saying, "I don’t know how Richard (Pearce-Moses, PeDALS principal investigator) has stayed on top of all these moving parts, but the communication is very helpful."

PeDALS is funded by the Library of Congress National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.