Future Watch: Strategies for Long-Term Preservation of Electronic Records

Future Watch: Strategies for Long-Term Preservation of Electronic Records

Digital preservation

There are several varied types of electronic records, including legal documents, images, receipts, and personal correspondence that require unique methods of preservation. Hoke explains that due to rapid obsolescence of both software and hardware, long-term preservation (ten years or more) may not be possible. To further complicate the preservation of electronic records, the different institutions, and categories of collections (such as medical transactions, insurance proceedings, court cases, or personal papers) also affect their long-term maintenance. Hoke classifies these challenges to digital preservation into four main categories: storage media; hardware; software; and governance. For each category, Hoke provides examples and concludes no universal principle or procedure can be applied. For example, software companies that do not provide backwards compatibility may require emulation as opposed to migration strategies for preservation.

Hoke believes governance, the infrastructure and long-term commitment to preserving a collection, is perhaps the most vulnerable category. Knowing how to assign provenance to a record that must be migrated into a new form, or anticipating future demands for different types of records are examples of the difficulties affecting governance. Planning and developing strategies for governance are addressed in the second section of Hoke’s article. In this section, he discusses several preservation strategies, including periodic migration, using archival (non-proprietary) formats, and investigating new emerging technologies (such as nickel engraving). Throughout his article, Hoke reminds the reader that solutions must be tailored to the unique needs of the institution and the specific types of electronic records. He concludes by providing four recommendations: determine the highest level of risk the institution is willing to take; assess the current effectiveness of the overall digital collection; survey the existing tools, strategies, and tactics used for preservation; and commit to long-term asset management.

Hoke, Gordon E. J.

Information Management

2012-05

Polk, Victoria

Journal Article

http://content.arma.org/IMM/May-June2012/futurewatchstrategiesforlongtermpreservation.aspx

Hoke, Gordon E.J. “Future Watch: Strategies for Long-Term Preservation of Electronic Records.” Information Management (May/June 2012): 1-7.