Same Goal, New Challenge
An introduction to the futureArch project &
BEAM
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
ver T hus
Tw as E
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and The Works of Francis Bacon,
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
Baron of Verulam, Viscount
Infrastructure St. Alban and Lord High Chancellor of England in Ten Volumes,
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Volume 5, London, 1803
ver T hu s
Tw as E
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and The Works of Francis Bacon,
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
2
Baron of Verulam, Viscount
Infrastructure St. Alban and Lord High Chancellor of England in Ten Volumes,
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Volume 5, London, 1803
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
digitised from
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
digitised from
using
manuscripts from
&
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
digitised from
Born Digital
Manuscripts
using
manuscripts from
&
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Archives & Mansc ri pts
• Documentary materials
accumulated by individuals or
organisations
• First hand accounts,
correspondence, etc.
• Largely unpublished
• Increasingly hybrid
• Multiple: sources, formats,
negotiations, accessions (over
time)
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Babara Castle & the P C Ws
• Total archive: 800 boxes, 1903 – 2002
• Lots and lots of paper!
• 1 box of video, 1 box of audio
• 31 Amstrad PCW disks (including 6 never
used) 1989-1992
• Two PCs, ?1992-1997, 1997-2002
• Four 3’5” disks (largely backups from PC)
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Same Goal
• To have “built an ark” for manuscripts, to
keep them safe, preserve their authenticity
and where possible provide context
• We’re doing the same thing for born digital
materials
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
New Challenge
• Digital Media
• Identifying collections
• Do we keep the media?
• How do we access content?
– Forensics machine & old hardware
• Digital Content (if we can get it!)
• Authenticity – emulate or transform?
• Access – who, what and when?
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
futureArch
• Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Funded
• 3 Years – ends January 2012
• First phase of the development of “Bodleian
Electronic Archives & Manuscripts” (BEAM)
• Who we are:
• Susan Thomas, Digital Archivist & Project Manager
• Renhart Gittens, Software Engineer
• Peter Cliff, Software Engineer
• Project Archivist (Recruiting soon)
• Library Graduate Trainee (Recruiting now)
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Research
y Infrast
Polic Support ructure
nd
en d-to-e •On and off site
•Esta
blish
• Define s
BEAM a
s service
Activie roles & access to hybrid
s,
policie ties collections •Esta
blish BE
• Inform nsibili Infrastru AM
respo ary cture, sh
in Libr common aring
• Embed et compone
budg with ODL nts
& ORA
Collections
l •Donor confidence
fes siona •Transfer tools/help
P ro
s&
ystem aff
•Legacy holdings
lA ims
eve
,s •New materials
• Training ratorial st
hL
cu
to ols for te Trainee
Hig
• Gradua nation
i
• Dissem
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
New methods
• (digital) deluge?
• Early intervention
• Enable creators to manage and preserve their materials
• Accession often (avoids obsolescence)
• Capture contextual information from the creators (including
passwords!)
• Requires
• Trust
• Guaranteed confidentiality
• Distributed approach
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Current Activity
• Modifying accessions process to identify
digital material as it arrives
• Secure and robust storage – DAMS
• Processes and tools and a curation
manual for acquisition, capture and ingest
• Identifying and preserving material in
legacy collections
• Automatic metadata creation/tools
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Future Focus
• Interfaces & tools
• For curators: management, cataloguing and enquiries, etc.
• For researchers: integration with Western Manuscripts online
catalogues, the Library and, were appropriate, the Web.
• Digital Preservation Policies
• Extending acquisition to cope with new channels
• Materials from the Web
• Materials in the Cloud
• Access
• Researcher tools
• Processing of archives for researcher access
• Publication pathways
(closed -> reading room -> open Web)
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
In Conc lusion
• We are continuing the age old tradition of
housing manuscripts within the Library
• The types of materials in collections has
changed
• Collections themselves are changing
• futureArch is enabling the Library and its
staff to cope with these new materials
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
The futureArch Junk Appeal
We are always on the lookout for old bits of kit – from
cables to complete systems - that could be used to help
us recover content from obsolete media. If you want to
make some space in your office, loft or neighbourhood
skip, please contact us!
peter.cliff@ouls.ox.ac.uk
susan.thomas@bodley.ox.ac.uk
renhart.gittens@ouls.ox.ac.uk
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /
Links
http://delicious.com/pixelatedpete/drwitox-20090423
Thanks
Thanks to Susan Thomas, from whom I borrowed many of
these slides/ideas! Thanks boss!
Q uestions?
Digital Repositories Workshop: Tools and
Infrastructure
http://futurearchives.blogspot.com
23rd Apr 2009 University of Oxford /