The first Thursday of November means a lot to those in the digital preservation community, though this may not be widespread knowledge.
This year, the 6 November marks the 9th World Digital Preservation Day, a day which the digital preservation team at The National Archives marks every year!
First introduced in 2017 by the Digital Preservation Coalition, it celebrates the world of digital preservation in all its eclectic glory. This can range from professionals whose focus is on floppy disks or 80s computers to those who wish to preserve Microsoft Word files.
World Digital Preservation Day is also a chance for professionals to share their work through events, blogs and sometimes unique outputs such as music or games. These can include talks on preservation or even covers of famous songs, with a digital preservation slant. This is with the common goal of raising awareness of the value of digital records, celebrating what's been achieved and the importance of preserving them for the future.
This year the theme is ‘Why Preserve’, which is what we wish to tackle in this blog. We’re also going to show you how to make your first steps in preserving your digital footprint.
What is digital preservation and why is it important?
Digital Preservation refers to the series of managed activities necessary to ensure continued access to digital materials for as long as necessary.
Digital Preservation Coalition
Digital preservation is about preserving digital records to ensure future generations have access to them. This includes records that we are creating today, our recent history and from the early era of computing. The number of records created on computers is increasing drastically, however some files from as little as five years ago may no longer be supported by current software or companies. Simple changes to the design of computers makes content hard to view.
For example, most newly-made laptops no longer contain a CD drive, and televisions do not come with tape players anymore. This is known as obsolescence, when software, files, storage carriers (such as floppy disks) or computers become outdated and no longer in use.
The Collossus Computer, Second World War. Catalogue reference: HW 25/26
Our digital collections
What often springs to mind when digital archiving is mentioned is digitisation. However, these are completely different specialisms. A digital archivist looks after the long-term preservation of all digital objects, which can include those created by the digitisation department. Their role does not lie in the content generation of the digitisation project but rather in its preservation after completion.
The digital files we preserve fall into one of three categories:
- Born-Digital Records: created digitally and never existed in paper form.
- Digitised Records: created by scanning or photographing physical records.
- Digital Surrogates: digitised versions of physical records that serve as substitutes for access or preservation.
While many researchers focus on the digitised objects in our collections, the Digital Archiving team takes multiple transfers of born digital records each month. This is from a range of different government departments. It is worth noting that this does not include the amazing work that our colleagues in the Web Archiving team. This team collect content from government websites and social media.
ADM 360
ADM 360 is a collection consisting of both digitised records and physical records. Due to the deterioration of photographic negatives some of the collection is only available through its digital copy. These images document naval infrastructure and landscapes across the UK, offering a rich visual record of maritime history.
Image from Troon in Scotland. Annotated ground photograph of a view southwest over timber basin entrance. Catalogue reference: ADM 360/33242
Your first steps into digital preservation
When preserving a physical record, you begin by identifying the materials: vellum or paper, iron gall ink or watercolour. This knowledge helps guide long-term preservation decisions.
The same principle applies to digital records. To preserve your digital files, you first need to understand what you have:
- What types of files are in your collection?
- How large is the collection?
- What formats are used (such as JPEG, DOCX, or PDF)?
A great starting point is Digital Record Object Identification (DROID). Developed by The National Archives, DROID is a free tool that helps identify file formats and understand what’s in your digital collection. It scans your files and provides a detailed breakdown, which is essential for making informed preservation decisions.
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DROID loading screen. DROID stands for Digital Record Object Identification.
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The user interface of DROID. A file format identification tool developed by The National Archives.
Even small steps—like identifying your file formats and backing up important documents—can make a big difference in preserving your digital legacy. There is so much more to the wonderful world of digital preservation, many more helpful tools and wonderful resources.
For more information in getting started in digital preservation we would recommend the resources on the Digital Preservation Coalition’s website.
Get in touch!
We would love to hear how you get on so please feel free to contact the digital preservation team if you want to know more.
