Preserving web resources – new advisory handbook : JISC

Preserving web resources – new advisory handbook

A new handbook created by JISC’s PoWR project (Preservation of Web Resources) offers a wealth of tips and information for web managers, data professionals and those making decisions concerning the long-term preservation of online resources.

Sector-wide issues

With such vast quantities of digital data available on or via the Internet, the PoWR handbook encourages institutions to see the requirement for coherent preservation strategies. Key issues include prioritising what to keep, how to keep it, which preservation policies to implement, the consequences of preservation decisions and how to provide sustainable access for the future.

Providing solutions

The JISC PoWR handbook helps institutions to identify where material of interest might exist, which elements may require long-term access and how these decisions can link into wider institutional policies. It is the result of a JISC-supported collaboration between UKOLN and ULCC's Digital Archives, a partnership that brings together expertise from the web management and digital preservation fields.

Illustrative case studies

Following workshops and conference presentations, the handbook was influenced by sector-wide blog input, and it addresses current issues using a helpful case study approach. These exemplars illustrate common problems and suggest courses of action, using a pragmatic MoSCoW analysis - distinguishing what ‘Must be kept and what Should be kept from what Could be kept and what Won't’.

The PoWR handbook recognises that preservation is not an end in itself, but that it can complement an institution’s mission, whether that be improving the quality of research, conforming with national policy or avoiding the threat of legal action. It will evolve following the practical experience of its use to ensure it remains at the forefront of best practice advice for web preservation issues.

Website Learn about JISC’s Digital Preservation programme
Visit the PoWR project
Neil Grindley, manager of JISC’s Digital Preservation programme, writes on the importance and implications of digital preservation in Research Information’s February-March issue, available late January 2009.

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