UKOLN is supported by: What are the Barriers to Web Resource Preservation? Marieke Guy, UKOLN JISC-PoWR Workshop 27 th June 2008

The Preservation Challenge Accessibility and authenticity Preservation has never been easy People tend to live in the now Web resources present additional challenges So lets look at the excuses…

Accessibility and authenticity

Preservation has never been easy

People tend to live in the now

Web resources present additional challenges

So lets look at the excuses…

It’s not a problem… Digital resources do degrade Operating systems are upgraded and existing applications cease to work Resources may be dependent on or hosted by external resources which may disappear Projects end Links get broken Loss of evidence of institutional activity which is nor recorded elsewhere Danger of not doing anything

Digital resources do degrade

Operating systems are upgraded and existing applications cease to work

Resources may be dependent on or hosted by external resources which may disappear

Projects end

Links get broken

Loss of evidence of institutional activity which is nor recorded elsewhere

Danger of not doing anything

It’s not a priority…. We are all suffering from lack of time, expertise and money Web services tend to focus on immediate business requirements such as informational requirements, support for staff and e-learning applications Institutions often wait for others to take the lead Web services are often not interested in preservation while Records Managers are concentrating on other digital resources

We are all suffering from lack of time, expertise and money

Web services tend to focus on immediate business requirements such as informational requirements, support for staff and e-learning applications

Institutions often wait for others to take the lead

Web services are often not interested in preservation while Records Managers are concentrating on other digital resources

It’s not my responsibility… Individual Approach The author of the resource Institutional Approach The publisher of the resource The institution, the institution’s Library National Approach The Academic Community, Archives, Museums, the Government Consortiums e.g. UKWAC International Approach International Organisations e.g Internet Archive Commercial companies

Individual Approach

The author of the resource

Institutional Approach

The publisher of the resource

The institution, the institution’s Library

National Approach

The Academic Community, Archives, Museums, the Government

Consortiums e.g. UKWAC

International Approach

International Organisations e.g Internet Archive

Commercial companies

It’s complicated… The Web is transient and dynamic Web resource’s lifespan is short Web publishing is a very easy process Metadata is very much an afterthought. There is a need to preserve objects, relationships and behaviour There is a gap of understanding between Records Managers and Web services people It’s difficult to know how to get started or what to do Preservation requires a certain skill set

The Web is transient and dynamic

Web resource’s lifespan is short

Web publishing is a very easy process

Metadata is very much an afterthought.

There is a need to preserve objects, relationships and behaviour

There is a gap of understanding between Records Managers and Web services people

It’s difficult to know how to get started or what to do

Preservation requires a certain skill set

It’s technically complicated… The Web is dependant on technology Cardinality – One or many? Web resources are usually held on just one server, so are at greater risk of removal Areas of the Web are held in problematical CMS or behind authentication systems Robots.txt file Have standards or proprietary formats been used? Has the technical architecture of the Web site been documented? What about Software emulation?

The Web is dependant on technology

Cardinality – One or many?

Web resources are usually held on just one server, so are at greater risk of removal

Areas of the Web are held in problematical CMS or behind authentication systems

Robots.txt file

Have standards or proprietary formats been used?

Has the technical architecture of the Web site been documented?

What about Software emulation?

It’s a difficult choice… Selection can be difficult What does a Web site entail? Public vs private site Instantiation/snapshot Code, content or graphical look and feel of site Full functionality Preserving the the bits or the essence? Is it worth preserving anyway?

Selection can be difficult

What does a Web site entail?

Public vs private site

Instantiation/snapshot

Code, content or graphical look and feel of site

Full functionality

Preserving the the bits or the essence?

Is it worth preserving anyway?

It’s a legal minefield… Many IPR issues: Copyright, database right, defamation, privacy, FOI What about accessibility? Is my Web site legal today? Will my Web site be legal tomorrow, if new legislation is enacted? Who owns the pages? What about pages we don’t own?

Many IPR issues: Copyright, database right, defamation, privacy, FOI

What about accessibility?

Is my Web site legal today?

Will my Web site be legal tomorrow, if new legislation is enacted?

Who owns the pages?

What about pages we don’t own?

And what about Web 2.0? Use of 3 rd party services Emphasis on collaboration and communication, rather than access to resources More resources created by individuals More complex IPR issues Richer diversity of services: RSS, syndicated content These are issues for another day!

Use of 3 rd party services

Emphasis on collaboration and communication, rather than access to resources

More resources created by individuals

More complex IPR issues

Richer diversity of services: RSS, syndicated content

These are issues for another day!

And the quick answer is… Need to encourage ownership and institutional responsibility Change in culture Making excuses won’t help We are here to help! More answers in Preservation of Web Resources Part II

Need to encourage ownership and institutional responsibility

Change in culture

Making excuses won’t help

We are here to help!

More answers in Preservation of Web Resources Part II

Any Questions?