Case study: the University of Glasgow’s digital preservation journey 2017-2019

Abstract

This case study documents the University of Glasgow’s digital preservation journey during 2017 and 2018. The University recognized that action was required to ensure the long-term preservation of key corporate records and archival material. Staff from the University’s Digital Preservation Working Group were therefore tasked with identifying the University’s priorities and requirements for preserving its key records, with the aim of producing recommendations for a preservation programme. Knowledge and skills were enhanced by participating in a national digital preservation pilot project and learning from practitioners through workshops and information exchange. The case study shares our reflections on the questions which emerged about metadata, workflows and integrating systems. A key priority will be to engage the support of key decision makers within the University, as it was emphasized repeatedly that successful digital preservation depends as much on resources and organizational strategy as it does on technology. Two of the authors have a particular interest in terminology and we share our work to examine digital preservation’s confusing and obscure vocabulary. We conclude that transforming digital preservation into standard practice within organizations can best be achieved through continued collaboration within the digital preservation community.