Introduction to Digital Preservation: Why, What, How - Day 1 (DPOE-N)

This workshop will provide an overview of digital preservation, structured into three sections: the Why, What, and How of Digital Preservation. The first half of the workshop will start with the “Why”, discussing the value, benefits, and importance of prioritizing and investing in digital preservation activities. Then we will move on to the “What”, focusing on the details of the digital objects that are being preserved, the assortment of risks and harms to digital objects that may potentially occur, as well as the basic strategies that can be implemented to limit the impact of those risks. 

The second half of the workshop will focus on the “How” starting briefly with the high-level elements, such as collaboration, policy development, and resource analysis, needed to implement a resilient digital preservation program. Then the bulk of “How” will focus on outlining the types of steps that should be included in a baseline digital preservation workflow to manage almost any kind of digital object. We will also discuss options for the tools and systems that can be used to implement these basic workflow steps. 

Participants should come away from the workshop with a solid understanding of why digital preservation is important and should be prioritized, the structure and elements of digital objects that can be preserved, and the range of risks that may cause damage or data loss. They will also understand the high level building blocks needed to develop sustainable digital preservation programs and the components of a baseline digital preservation workflow to manage digital objects on a regular basis. 

Instructor Bio: Sam Meister is an archivist and educator based in Evanston, Illinois who has been working in and with libraries, archives, museums, galleries, artists, and nonprofit organizations for over 15 years. With his Future Access For All consulting practice, he is seeking to expand archival thinking and practice to new contexts, to guide and support people in taking action to ensure the digital materials they are creating continue to exist for as long as they need them. He is drawn to this work because he sees the potential for people to create their own archives for their creative practices, their organizations, and their communities. Previously, Sam served as the Preservation Communities Manager at the Educopia Institute, and before that as the Digital Archivist at the University of Montana. He received his M.L.I.S from San Jose State University, and B.A. in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego.