Hi all,
Thanks for your patience with this. I've got all the feedback from my initial query about whether SharePoint is a useful digital repository for archives (temporarily or longer term), where it is being implemented as an ERMS.
The response I received was a resounding "HELL NO!" and I had lots of requests for the feedback. See below for the collated responses.
Pros of using SharePoint as a digital repository
-Can lock documents against editing
-Tells you when documents were last accessed and by whom
Cons of using SharePoint as a digital repository
-Will not serve long-term needs of accessibility or use of records
-Will not support migration requirements of archival records
-Similarly, it is highly customisable which complicated platform migration
-Will not guarantee integrity of archival records during software updates
-Likewise, will not give the metadata required
-Does not conform to OAIS model and is hard to manipulate it to do so (Open Archival Information System)
-Is not separate server or repository solely for archival records – archival and live are in the same ‘place’
-Archive preservation practices are not standard in SP and asking them to do all of the above will be really expensive
There have also been lots of responses that it’s not great or intuitive as an ERMS either
If you have SharePoint as ERMS, the main recommendation is to export those archival documents out of it and into a separate repository using an OAIS compliant processes.
Presevica is a company that has been recommended for "true digital archiving" but there are also some organisations testing out Cloud storage.
Archivematica has also been offered as a free open-source software that processes digital records in an OAIS compliant model.
Many thanks to Peter Bode (Brighton and Hove City Council), Ed Pinset (University of London Computer Centre), Rachael MacGregor (Lancaster University), Clare Cowling (University of London), Sonia Mullett (ITN Source), Anna Sobczak, Shadrack Katuu (International Atomic Energy Agency), Elizabeth Charlton, David Underdown (TNA), William Kilbride (DPC), Jenny Mitcham (University of York).
Really helpful links shared by very kind people are:
From Ed Pinset http://dart.blogs.ulcc.ac.uk/2015/05/26/irms-conference-2015-information-the-new-currency/
From Rachael MacGregor https://nwrdpg.wordpress.com/
From Elizabeth Charlton http://qanda.digipres.org/285/digital-preservation-in-sharepoint-environment; http://preservica.com/resource/sharepointwebinar
From Shadrack Katuu http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/mow/VC_Katuu_28_D_1130.pdf;
Alternatives: Open Source archival repositories
An enormous thanks to Shadrack Katuu and Jenny Mitcham for taking the time to share their expertise and resources on the below options.
1) Archivematica (with AtoM)
Archivematica “processes files for digital preservation and delivery through an OAIS compliant model.”
https://www.archivematica.org/en/
https://wiki.archivematica.org/Main_Page
http://www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/projects/archivematica/
http://libraries.mit.edu/digital-archives/files/2015/07/DATools_MIT_Archivematica_pt4.pdf
Comes with AtoM which is a long-term delivery system for digital objects so you can view them without compromising them
Lots of support - Very helpful wiki, documentation and user forum
Handles wide variety of formats
2) Archivist’s toolkit
http://archiviststoolkit.org/faq
http://aabc.ca/resources/archivists-toolkit/electronic-records/
I hope this helps those wanting to learn more about SharePoint and alternative options.
Ta,
Heather
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College Archivist
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