An introduction to the Digital Curation Centre Michael Day DCC Research Team UKOLN, University of Bath Bath BA2 7AY [email_address]

Schedule Introduction to the Digital Curation Centre (Michael Day, DCC) Digital curation in the performing arts (Daisy Abbott, AHDS Performing Arts) Virtual archives and exhibitions (Jessica Gardner and Gary Stringer, University of Exeter) Questions and discussion

Introduction to the Digital Curation Centre (Michael Day, DCC)

Digital curation in the performing arts (Daisy Abbott, AHDS Performing Arts)

Virtual archives and exhibitions (Jessica Gardner and Gary Stringer, University of Exeter)

Questions and discussion

Outline HE/FE context DCC aims and objectives DCC activities

HE/FE context

DCC aims and objectives

DCC activities

Contexts (1) There are increasing amounts of information in digital form in FE/HE, e.g.: Research outputs (publications and data) Learning materials Administrative records (electronic records management systems, databases, Web sites) Information licensed from third-parties (e.g. e-journals, research databases)

There are increasing amounts of information in digital form in FE/HE, e.g.:

Research outputs (publications and data)

Learning materials

Administrative records (electronic records management systems, databases, Web sites)

Information licensed from third-parties (e.g. e-journals, research databases)

Contexts (2) There is a strategic need to manage these assets on behalf of the institution, e.g.: Compliance with: Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation Data Protection legislation Verifiability and reproducibility of research Research Council rules on data retention The Open Access agenda

There is a strategic need to manage these assets on behalf of the institution, e.g.:

Compliance with:

Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation

Data Protection legislation

Verifiability and reproducibility of research

Research Council rules on data retention

The Open Access agenda

Contexts (3) Institutional responses include: Electronic Records Management Systems Institutional Repositories Supra-institutional initiatives: Some research councils fund central repositories for certain types of data: AHRC (Arts and Humanities Data Service) ESRC (UK Data Archive) NERC data centres Many other discipline-based databases

Institutional responses include:

Electronic Records Management Systems

Institutional Repositories

Supra-institutional initiatives:

Some research councils fund central repositories for certain types of data:

AHRC (Arts and Humanities Data Service)

ESRC (UK Data Archive)

NERC data centres

Many other discipline-based databases

Contexts (4) The main drivers for digital curation: An increasing awareness that digital assets are reusable Continuing access is vital to ensure contemporary scholarship is reproducible and verifiable Digital assets are fragile Some recent news stories ...

The main drivers for digital curation:

An increasing awareness that digital assets are reusable

Continuing access is vital to ensure contemporary scholarship is reproducible and verifiable

Digital assets are fragile

Some recent news stories ...

Digital Curation Centre Call for proposals in JISC Circular 6/03 Launched: Edinburgh, 5 November 2004 Grant funding from: Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) UK e-Science Core Programme (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) Main activities: Development, services and outreach in digital curation A research programme

Call for proposals in JISC Circular 6/03

Launched: Edinburgh, 5 November 2004

Grant funding from:

Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)

UK e-Science Core Programme (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)

Main activities:

Development, services and outreach in digital curation

A research programme

Digital curation Active management of data over life-cycle of scholarly and scientific interest Reproducibility Reuse Appreciation of differences between disciplines Ubiquitous relationship with digital information

Active management of data over life-cycle of scholarly and scientific interest

Reproducibility

Reuse

Appreciation of differences between disciplines

Ubiquitous relationship with digital information

DCC purpose Supporting and promoting continuing improvement in the quality of data curation and digital preservation activity

Supporting and promoting continuing improvement in the quality of data curation and digital preservation activity

DCC vision Centre of excellence in digital curation and preservation in the UK Authoritative source of advocacy and expert advice and guidance to the community Key facilitator of an informed research community with established collaborative networks of digital curators Service provider of a wide range of resources, software, tools and support services

Centre of excellence in digital curation and preservation in the UK

Authoritative source of advocacy and expert advice and guidance to the community

Key facilitator of an informed research community with established collaborative networks of digital curators

Service provider of a wide range of resources, software, tools and support services

DCC objectives Provide strategic leadership in digital curation and preservation for the UK research community, with particular emphasis on science data Influence and inform national and international policy Provide advocacy and expert advice and guidance to practitioners and funding bodies Create, manage and develop an outstanding suite of resources and tools Raise the level of awareness and expertise amongst data creators and curators, and other individuals with a curation role Strengthen community curation networks and collaborative partnerships Continue our strong association with our research programme

Provide strategic leadership in digital curation and preservation for the UK research community, with particular emphasis on science data

Influence and inform national and international policy

Provide advocacy and expert advice and guidance to practitioners and funding bodies

Create, manage and develop an outstanding suite of resources and tools

Raise the level of awareness and expertise amongst data creators and curators, and other individuals with a curation role

Strengthen community curation networks and collaborative partnerships

Continue our strong association with our research programme

DCC partners University of Edinburgh Chris Rusbridge (Director of DCC) Prof. Peter Buneman (Associate Director, Research) University of Glasgow Prof. Seamus Ross, Director of HATII (Associate Director, User Services) UKOLN, University of Bath Dr. Liz Lyon, Director of UKOLN (Associate Director, Community Development) Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) Dr. David Giaretta (Associate Director, Tools Development)

University of Edinburgh

Chris Rusbridge (Director of DCC)

Prof. Peter Buneman (Associate Director, Research)

University of Glasgow

Prof. Seamus Ross, Director of HATII (Associate Director, User Services)

UKOLN, University of Bath

Dr. Liz Lyon, Director of UKOLN (Associate Director, Community Development)

Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC)

Dr. David Giaretta (Associate Director, Tools Development)

Engaging communities of practice Those who have responsibility Creators, curators, re-users Invoke/provoke good practices Research in productive areas e.g. informatics, law, e-science ... Work on the ‘R&D’ to create services of relevance Turn products of research and development into tools and services for use

Those who have responsibility

Creators, curators, re-users

Invoke/provoke good practices

Research in productive areas

e.g. informatics, law, e-science ...

Work on the ‘R&D’ to create services of relevance

Turn products of research and development into tools and services for use

DCC pathways

DCC research goals Bringing Strands of Curation together including Traditional archiving functions The curation of evolving knowledge, e.g. as seen in scientific databases Conduct research in areas crucial to digital curation To institute two-way conduits between research activity and service provision

Bringing Strands of Curation together including

Traditional archiving functions

The curation of evolving knowledge, e.g. as seen in scientific databases

Conduct research in areas crucial to digital curation

To institute two-way conduits between research activity and service provision

DCC research agenda Data integration and publishing Annotation Provenance and data quality Data citation Metadata extraction Archiving and appraisal Legal issues Networks of trusted repositories Economic cost-benefit analysis of curation

Data integration and publishing

Annotation

Provenance and data quality

Data citation

Metadata extraction

Archiving and appraisal

Legal issues

Networks of trusted repositories

Economic cost-benefit analysis of curation

DCC tools and infrastructure Representation Information Registry and Repository Representation Information is all of the information needed to turn byte-streams into something meaningful Pilot registry developed in phase 1; it now needs to be deployed as a service Toolkits for other types of metadata Packaging tools, e.g. XFDU (XML Formatted Data Unit), SAFE (Standard Archive Format for Europe)

Representation Information Registry and Repository

Representation Information is all of the information needed to turn byte-streams into something meaningful

Pilot registry developed in phase 1; it now needs to be deployed as a service

Toolkits for other types of metadata

Packaging tools, e.g. XFDU (XML Formatted Data Unit), SAFE (Standard Archive Format for Europe)

DCC user services (1) Resources: Helpdesk system Publications: DCC Curation Manual - in depth treatment of a growing range of topics Briefing Papers - readable by senior management Case Studies Standards and Technology Watch Databases of external resources and standards (DIFFUSE)

Resources:

Helpdesk system

Publications:

DCC Curation Manual - in depth treatment of a growing range of topics

Briefing Papers - readable by senior management

Case Studies

Standards and Technology Watch

Databases of external resources and standards (DIFFUSE)

DCC user services (2) Curation services (e.g., DRAMBORA Toolkit) Professional development, e.g.: Training events that bring together practitioners and researchers, e.g. forthcoming events: Joint Workshop on Developing an International Curation and Preservation Training Roadmap, Nice, 29-30 March 2007 (with PLANETS/CASPAR/DPE) Tutorial on Building Trust in Digital Repositories Using the DRAMBORA Toolkit, London, 27 April 2007 (and The Hague, 3 May 2007, Arlington, Va., 21 May 2007) LOCKSS Technical Support Service

Curation services (e.g., DRAMBORA Toolkit)

Professional development, e.g.:

Training events that bring together practitioners and researchers, e.g. forthcoming events:

Joint Workshop on Developing an International Curation and Preservation Training Roadmap, Nice, 29-30 March 2007 (with PLANETS/CASPAR/DPE)

Tutorial on Building Trust in Digital Repositories Using the DRAMBORA Toolkit, London, 27 April 2007 (and The Hague, 3 May 2007, Arlington, Va., 21 May 2007)

LOCKSS Technical Support Service

DCC community development Raising awareness of DCC and dissemination of results Web portal ( http://www.dcc.ac.uk ) International Journal of Digital Curation (IJDC) International Conference (annual) Associates Network Understanding users and their needs, e.g.: Events like today Specific events with data centres SCARP - separately funded project Co-operation with repository initiatives

Raising awareness of DCC and dissemination of results

Web portal ( http://www.dcc.ac.uk )

International Journal of Digital Curation (IJDC)

International Conference (annual)

Associates Network

Understanding users and their needs, e.g.:

Events like today

Specific events with data centres

SCARP - separately funded project

Co-operation with repository initiatives

DCC Associates Network The DCC has identified the importance of engaging with: Institutions Organisations and Individuals across all disciplines and domains. http://www.dcc.ac.uk/associates/

The DCC has identified the importance of engaging with:

Institutions

Organisations and

Individuals

across all disciplines and domains.

http://www.dcc.ac.uk/associates/

An introduction to the Digital Curation Centre Michael Day DCC Research Team UKOLN, University of Bath Bath BA2 7AY [email_address]