This document summarizes a presentation on archiving historical census data. It discusses the threats to digital information like format and system obsolescence. It introduces the Open Archival Information System reference model for long-term digital preservation. It then summarizes the goals and current state of the "HisTel" project to create an infrastructure for preserving and providing access to historical statistics and census data. Key issues discussed include how to handle new dataset versions, what additional services could be built, what digital objects should be archived, and what representation information is required.

1. Data Archiving and Networked Services
Towards a durable data
infrastructure for
historical census data
CEDAR Symposium
1 March 2013
rene.van.horik@dans.knaw.nl
DANS is een instituut van KNAW en NWO

2. Outline
1. Background on digital preservation
1. Threats and strategies
2. OAIS-reference model
3. APARSEN Network of Excellence on Digital Preservation
2. Reporting on “HisTel” project

3. Digital Preservation
• Threats to future access to digital information
– Format obsolescence
– Not possible to render object
– Operating system obsolescence
– Hardware failure
– What is it?
• Strategies
– Technology preservation strategy
– Technology emulation strategy
– Digital information migration strategy

4. Reference Model for an Open archival
Information System (OAIS)
• ISO 14721: 2012
• OAIS = Archive that accepted responsibility to
preserve information and make it available for a
Designated Community
• Open = Developed in open forums
• Framework for Long Term Preservation Strategies
• Framework for describing and comparig architectures
• Expands consensus on elements and processes for LT
preservation and access

6. Designated Community
• An identified group of potential Consumers who
should be able to understand a particular set of
information. The Designated Community may be
composed of multiple user communities. A
Designated Community is defined by the Archive
and this definition may change over time.

9. Key terms in digital preservation
• Providing Evidence / Trust
• Gap-analysis / Gap-management
• Representation information

10. Co-funded by the European Union under FP7-ICT-2009-6
Approach of APARSEN
TRUST SUSTAIN USABILITY ACCESS
ABILITY
Stream 1
Integration
Stream 2
Technical
research
Stream 3
Non-technical
research
Stream 4
Sustainable
uptake
Why PIs are crucial in digital preservation
Simon Lambert, STFC
Webinar, Feb 2013
aparsen.eu #APARSEN

11. Co-funded by the European Union under FP7-ICT-2009-6
Network of Excellence
Why PIs are crucial in digital preservation
Simon Lambert, STFC
Webinar, Feb 2013
aparsen.eu #APARSEN

12. Modelling Scholarly Research
Understanding the Information
Requirements of Arts and
Humanities Scholarship
Agiatis Benardou, Panos
Constantopoulos, Costis Dallas,
Dimitris Gavrilis
doi:10.2218/ijdc.v5i1.141

13. Source: Past, present and future of historical information science. Onno Boonstra, Leen Breure and
Peter Doorn. 2006
http://www.dans.knaw.nl/en/content/categorieen/publicaties/past-present-and-future-
historical-information-science

14. State of art HisTel
• Goal: to create a durable infrastructure to provide
access to historical statistics
• DANS-EASY = Back-office
• High priority for:
– Persistent identifiers for tables
– Automatic log-in / Single sign-on
– License update
• Front-office?
– Not decided yet
– www.volkstellingen.nl is outdated

15. Issues:
• How to cope with new versions / adjustments of
datasets?
• Which services should developed on top of the
digital archive? (e.g. Image viewer? GIS-tool?)
• Which digital objects should be archived?
(TabLinker, TabExtractor, Bedford’s Law Script?,
Open Annotation Ontology, etc.)
• Which Representation Information is required?
• Designated Community?