Preserving Digital Archives
Strategies for a
Living Collection
Trilce Navarrete Hernandez
Picture Meeting
ICN July 9th, 2009

Today:
• National Facts / International Facts
• Digital archives
• Strategies for a Living Collection
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Preservation issues:
Objects:
Plastics hold up well for the
decade or so during which a
consumer uses most
products. But that is a
problem for museums that
collect plastic art (slate.com
1/07/2009)
Duane Hanson's 1974 sculpture Drug
Addict, observed by a museum guest
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Preservation issues:
Digital archives:
Insufficient knowledge
Partial representation of collection
Limited resources
Discontinuous effort
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Preservation issues:
WHY?
Secure access to digital archives  to
guarantee use of (digital) collections
Keeping digital collections alive to ensure
preservation
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Background:
Registration is ongoing, 2007 NLD estimates:
Registered  there is a record of the object = 83%
Automated  the recorded object is in digital format = 57%
Digitized  there is a digital image of the object = 37%
Documented  the object has context information = 34-54%
Online  information about the object can be found online =
31%
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Background:
Preservation is growing, 2007 NLD estimates:
Information plan  = 6%
Digitization plan  = 8%
Sustainability strategy  = 21%
Digital activities budget line  = 29%
“Investment is about the future. Preservation of
valuable assets is a form of investment” BRTF
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Background:
Estimated long term costs, 2008 UK estimates:
Acquisition and ingestion  = c. 42%
Storage and preservation  = c. 23%
Access  = c. 35%
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Adopting media technology:
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Adopting media technology:
Adapting to media technology
requires active preservation
remains open for change
thrives on sharing community
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Strategies for a Living Collection:
Knowledge: shared  community of experts
Selection: strategy  building blocks
Resources: ongoing  efficient allocation in entire
organization
Continuity: content  from past, present and into
the future
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Resources:
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009

Thank you … !
T.NavarreteHernandez@uva.nl
Picture Meeting ICN 9th July 2009