DSpace@Cambridge: implementing long-term digital preservation

Abstract

DSpace@Cambridge is an institutional archive set up to deal with the long-term preservation of information in a wide range of formats over an indefinite period of time. In this paper we look at some long-term digital preservation strategies, as they are currently implemented in our archive.

We describe the value of documentation of file format specifications for future data accessibility. We examine the impact and usefulness of constant concurrent data migration to several different formats.

We illustrate our approach with case studies of applying these principles to chemical and archeological scientific data.