Preserving digital information

Cassie FindlayState Records NSW

..or

“Do nothing, lose everything”

What’s the connection with Govt 2.0?• If you want wider and more effective use

of public sector information and content and the generation of new uses from it, you can’t just concern yourself with brand new information

• We all still use data and information that is really, really old

Rosetta stone

British Museum http://www.britishmuseum.org

The listing of convicts on board the “Neptune”, arrived in Sydney 28 June 1790 (part of the First Fleet).

‘View from Church of England Grammar School ‘State Records NSW: Department of Public Works, Sydney Harbour Bridge Branch; NRS 12685, Sydney Harbour Bridge Photographic Albums, 1870-1933

PMapTH03, Parish of Tamworth, 1893 http://parishmaps.lands.nsw.gov.au/pmap.html

How are we able to continue to use this information?

• Because we labelled it and put is on a shelf!

Ukraine’s Central State Historical Archives in L’viv www.usukraine.org/lvivarchives.shtml

Is this going to work for digital Government

information?

Obsolescence

MacDraw, FHKE, 2007, http://www.flickr.com/photos/fhke/370326408/

Gallery of Obsolete Formats 1, jen-the-librarian, 2007 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennieb/921595498/

Proprietary control

• Potentially meaning Government information is restricted / unable to be accessed / costly to maintain

..which is why we need to act now!

• By:- keeping basic metadata - adopting sensible strategies to

protect against technology change, limit proprietary interests and manage other threats

Government organisations have a role to play

• adopt long term preservation formats eg ODF, PDF-A

• adopt metadata standards

• migrate with care

• avoid removable media

State Records’ role

• Set standards and provide guidance on making, keeping and preserving digital records

• Preserving digital State archives ..forever

• And making them available!

Future Proof

• http://futureproof.records.nsw.gov.au/