Exemplars focused on preserving an institution's repositories - KeepIT
This project has now concluded and the final report is available here
Background
Our exemplar preservation repository is not one repository but many that, viewed as a whole, represent all the content types that an institutional repository might present (research papers, science data, arts, teaching materials and theses).
The problem: There are various preservation tools and services but little awareness or uptake by repositories perhaps because they are too complex and potentially costly. These activities have typically been presented to repositories as additional tasks rather than as integral to their current activities. The documentation for these tools is not typically designed for these repositories.
The solution: Managers and representatives of four exemplar repositories will liaise one-on-one and in groups with a preservation specialist and developer who each have experience of both repositories and preservation and will be the bridge between the two.
KeepIT
The project will adapt and apply proven documented approaches and training to develop preservation plans - including policy (institutional and repository), costs, preservation metadata, storage and format management, data stewardship and trust - for each exemplar. Each one will provide a distinctive institutional and/or repository focus, and through this detailed analysis we expect to identify the core elements of the documented approaches that work for repositories, and to simplify and advise on application of the documentation. Based on the findings, current preservation tools will be developed and implemented for each repository exemplar. The repositories will participate in peer evangelising the results and solutions.
Deliverables
- Amended, simpler versions of existing documentation and training materials, on preservation policy, planning, data management and stewardship, aimed at repositories and based on what works and is cost-effective for repositories, to be disseminated by the project and the participating repositories.
- A set of preservation tools and interfaces for storage and format management, tested and evaluated with the exemplar repositories and packaged for wider use.
- Repositories constituting the exemplar will be preservation-ready.
Lead Institution
- University of Southampton
Partner Institutions
- University of Northampton
- University of the Arts, London