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Isc 404 - Lecture 11

The document discusses various digital preservation approaches for maintaining digital collections, including migration, refreshing, emulation, universal decoding, encapsulation, and replication. Each method addresses the challenges posed by technological changes and aims to ensure that digital objects remain accessible and usable over time. The document emphasizes the importance of preserving the underlying content while adapting to new formats and technologies.

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5 views3 pages

Isc 404 - Lecture 11

The document discusses various digital preservation approaches for maintaining digital collections, including migration, refreshing, emulation, universal decoding, encapsulation, and replication. Each method addresses the challenges posed by technological changes and aims to ensure that digital objects remain accessible and usable over time. The document emphasizes the importance of preserving the underlying content while adapting to new formats and technologies.

Uploaded by

roberotich64
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ISC 404: DIGITAL LIBRARIES

DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE


KENYATTA UNIVERSITY

LECTURE 11: PRESERVATION OF DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

Digital Preservation Approaches

Digital collections are large databases of information that is accessed through a computer
terminal. Digital preservation is the process of maintaining a condition suitable for use,
materials produced in digital formats and is inevitable particularly when a project goes online.

Migration
This is the periodic updating or rewriting of old data to run on new configurations or platforms.
File formats change continually; current computers cannot run programs for some computers
that existed a while ago. Hardware is often replaced and software systems are revised. The basic
principle of migration is that formats and the structure of data may be changed but semantics of
underlying content must be preserved. In migration, a digital object is transferred from one
software or hardware to another. Migration is also known as normalization where digital
information is copied from old formats into newer formats. This approach ensures that digital
objects are kept in current file formats. For example institutions that had encoded their files
using Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) migrate them to Extensible Markup
Language (XML) which is a more current format. Migration as a preservation strategy is
prompted by technological changes. In the past the floppy diskette was used to preserve content
but nowadays very few machines support the floppy diskettes forcing individuals and
organizations to adopt devices that are compatible with the technology in use.

Refreshing
Digital libraries must refresh their collections periodically, that is, move data onto new storage
media or from one medium to another. For example from Compact Disk (CD) to Digital

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Versatile Device (DVD). That is done to ensure that data is always stored in a medium that is
readable by current technology.

Emulation
This involves mimicking older platforms, so that the operating environment for obsolete
software and data files can be recreated. (Replica of the original computing environment is
supplied to interact with a resource as intended by creators of the resource). Emulation therefore
tries to keep digital objects into their original data formats but recreates some or all the original
processes enabling the object to be recreated on current format. The behavior of the hardware
and software in the future environment is reconstructed so as to recreate the look and feel of the
original object in its old environment. This involves cooperation between hardware and
software developers to provide access to proprietary information.

Universal Decoding

This strategy relies upon a set of widely promulgated and machine independent applications that
can unlock files and run application software at any time in the future. As content is created, a
copy is saved in a format that can be decoded

Encapsulation
This preservation method refers to bundling together digital information resources, the
preservation metadata associated with them and even the software required for access. This is
providing digital objects with instructions on how to recreate the platform needed to enable
their use.
Replication / Multiple Strategic Backups
Important data that exists only in a single copy on one computer is vulnerable. This is because
hardware can fail or dishonest employees can remove data. Replication involves creating copies
of data in more than one system. Therefore, by creating duplicate copies on many systems,
information will not be vulnerable to software and hardware failure. In addition, in the event of
accidental deletion information can still be retrieved from other systems

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References
1. Graham, P.S (1995). Long-term intellectual preservation. Available:
http://aultnis.rutgers.edu/texts/dps.html
2. RLG (1995) Preserving digital information: The report of the Task force on archiving of
digital information. Commissioned by the commission on preservation and access and
the research libraries group.
Available: http://www.rlg.org/ArchTF/tfadi.index.htm
3. Gladley, H.M (2006). Principles of digital preservation. ACM
4. Granger, Stewart (2000). Emulation as a digital preservation strategy. D Lib magazine

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