dear all
apologies for any cross-posting
there is currently a lot of UK press coverage around the proposed development led by The National Archives of shared data services for UK government departments, which may be of interest to the list.
For further information see below and the TNA press release at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/161.htm?homepage=news
Two developments seem to have given impetus to this work: first of all the e-petition for the use of open document format standard in UK government departments (for the petition and government response see http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/OpenDocument/ ); and secondly the DPC's Mind the Gap Report.
Neil
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Vital government information is becoming increasingly fragile and could be lost forever unless something is done to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change. That was the stark warning as the government announced plans this week to address the need for digital preservation - making sure that information remains accessible for as long as it is needed, even after the format in which it was created has become obsolete.
This issue affects all governments worldwide but Britain is one of the first countries to tackle it. A ground-breaking project led by The National Archives will look at options for setting up a shared service across government departments to take, migrate and preserve digital data on their behalf.
Last year's Mind the Gap report from the Digital Preservation Coalition revealed just how serious the risk is of digital information degrading or being lost. Most government information is now created in digital format but, unlike paper records which have lifespans of centuries, electronic records are inherently ephemeral and vulnerable. Many e-documents such as web pages can disappear within days of their creation; without active preservation those e-documents which do survive become obsolete, on average, within seven years. Yet departments need to be able to access information for much longer than this.
Data stored on floppy disks can often no longer be read. Databases operate on old and obsolete platforms which can stop functioning; and constant migration of platforms jeopardises key content on a daily basis.
"Making sure that information remains accessible despite the rapid pace of changes in technology is a significant issue for all government departments" said Natalie Ceeney, Chief Executive of The National Archives. "There is a real danger of losing critical knowledge vital for today's government business. Effective digital preservation is essential to ensure government's accountability, business continuity and efficiency."
Sir Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary, said: "It's vital that government seizes the challenges that digital information creates. This initiative from The National Archives is a good example of how we are taking the Transformational Government agenda forward and demonstrates how we can work in a proactive and joined-up manner across all government departments to address this important issue."
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For further information, or to organise an interview, please contact Séverine Gould, 020 8392 5277 ([log in to unmask] )
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Neil Beagrie FRSA publications: www.beagrie.com
BL/JISC Partnership Manager email: [log in to unmask]
The British Library, urls: www.bl.uk
96 Euston Road, www.jisc.ac.uk
London NW1 2DB Tel/Fax/Voicemail :+44 (0)709 2048179
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