EU-funded Digital Preservation Research APA 2014 Conference Brussels, 22 October 2014 Dr. Manuela Speiser European Commission DG CONNECT, unit "Creativity"

EU-fundedDigital Preservation ResearchAPA 2014 ConferenceBrussels, 22 October 2014

Dr. Manuela SpeiserEuropean CommissionDG CONNECT, unit "Creativity"

Rationale

Organisations with a societal mandate, legal obligations or business interests in long-term preservation of digital material need•reliable, customisable and affordable technical solutions •new knowledge and skills in curatorial staff•a legal framework that allows preservation actions (copying, migrating...)

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EU activities

Policy coordination•Recommendation on Digitisation and Digital Preservation (2011)

Research funding•ICT programme under FP7

Legislation•Revision of copyright law on the agenda

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Recommendation on digitisation and online accessibility of cultural material and digital preservationThree recommendations for digital preservation:

• reinforce national strategies, update action plans implementing the strategies, and exchange information between Member States

• adapt the legal framework to allow for preservation actions such as copying

• improve legal deposit arrangements for digital content

Progress in Member States is regularly monitored: 2014 reports published in October

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Research funding

• ICT programme under FP7 (2007-2013)

• 6 Calls for proposals (digital libraries; access to and preservation of cultural and scientific resources; e-infrastructures)

• 23 projects

• total funding of > € 100 mio.

• ca. 250 participating organisations: research institutes, memory organisations, IT providers…

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Earlier projects (up to 2012)

Earlier projects (up to 2014)

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Results so far: Advanced Technology

• Formal models to characterise digital objects

• Methods and tools to support preservation planning; quality control; workflows

• Increased automation and scalability

• Advanced tools for web archiving

• Emulation framework for obsolete media

High degree of take-up of project results at partner institutions and beyond

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Results so far: Services for end-users

• Open Preservation Foundation (OPF): community for sharing best practices and open source tools

• PrestoCentre: competence centre for preservation of digital audiovisual material

• APARSEN Virtual Centre of Excellence

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Results so far: Consoldiated research• Strengthened cooperation between stakeholders

• Solid body of expertise in the EU research community

- contribution to standardisation - leadership in preservation of web and audio-visual

resources, trusted repositories…

• Increasing participation of industry players as solution providers or problem owners => improved market potential for project outcomes

• Training material for professionals

• Increased awareness of legal aspects 10

Ongoing projects (up to 2018)

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On-going projects

• Techniques and tools for recovering loss and for repairing damaged digital objects, and for preventing loss and damage of newly created resources

• Embedding reasoning and intelligence in the digital information life-cycle (considering evolving semantics, use contexts, and interpretations; identifying obsolete information)

• Coordination actions promoting the uptake of digital preservation research outcomes, outreach to new stakeholders; cost modelling; road mapping.

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Expected impacts

• Reduced information loss

• Lower preservation costs and improved preservation capacity and competences in organisations dealing with digital preservation, including small archives

• Strengthened position of European service and technology providers (including SMEs) in the field of digital preservation

• Leading edge research in Europe strengthened through restructuring of the research landscape.

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Best wishes for theAPARSENCentre of Excellence

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