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Hi all, We completed a project a year or so ago to have our grey literature/back-up files scanned in as pdfs - mainly as a space-saving exercise - but we've found that this makes them much more accessible to us and to our 'customers' e.g. we sometimes send copyright protected pdfs out to HER enquirers (security locked by us and with an appropriate legal statement) which saves them having to physically come in etc. We are also currently in the process of building a digital document link into our HER so that we can view them from the record with the press of a button. We are still keeping the paper archive, but it's now stored off-site. However, they were just scanned as pdfs, not pdf/As - I'm still waiting for confirmation from our IT department on the longevity of this archive! Thanks Alex Alex Godden BA (Hons) MA Archaeologist/ Historic Data Manager Strategic Environmental Delivery Group Economy, Transport and Environment Department Hampshire County Council Tel. 01962 832338 HPSN 8 200 2338 Email: [log in to unmask] hants.gov.uk/landscape-and-heritage <http://www3.hants.gov.uk/landscape-and-heritage.html> ________________________________ From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Graham Tait Sent: 02 November 2011 15:27 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Why PDF/A for HER's? Dear all, My thoughts, from an HER perspective; HERs are not archives (they are pointers to archives - amongst other things). However, HERs do have a role to play in making access to information about the historic environment easier. To this end, many HERs have digitised archaeological reports and made them accessible via the web. As HERs are not archives, I think it is useful for the HER community to be encouraging appropriate digital archiving. Here in Devon, my colleague Stephen Reed (development management archaeologist) has been discussing a trial of digital archiving with the museums and contractors in Devon, as well as with Catherine Hardman (Archaeology Data Service) and Duncan Brown (Head of Archaeological Archives at English Heritage). We are looking to trial making a requirement of any archaeological work carried out as part of a planning permission to be appropriately digitally archived (the site photos, paper archives, etc), probably via the ADS. This would compliment the report, which is already digitally archived at the ADS through OASIS. It would seem appropriate for HERs to provide links to an archived copy of the report and (if they exist) the rest of the digital archive. In the meantime, when HERs maintain and provide access to digital reports it seems sensible for HERs to store PDFs as PDF/A, as this seems to be a better format to store PDFs. However, we really need to ensure that digital archives are appropriately created (and managed) as part of the archival process in a recognised digital repository (such as the ADS), and these can be linked to from the HER. This may well need to be driven from the archaeological development management sector and the museum sector, but supported by the HER sector. In the interim, advice from the ADS about how to link to specific reports in the grey literature library from HERs, as well as advice on the creation of PDF/A, would be very welcome. Just my two-pennies worth. cheers, Graham -- Graham Tait Archaeologist Historic Environment Service Devon County Council Matford Offices County Hall Topsham Road Exeter EX2 4QW Telephone: 01392 382214 Email: [log in to unmask] Web: http://www.devon.gov.uk/historicenvironment Disclaimer: http://www.devon.gov.uk/email -----Original Message----- From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenny Mitcham Sent: 02 November 2011 09:42 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [HERFORUM] Why PDF/A for HER's? Sorry for the delay in sending this reply. We tried to send this yesterday morning but it contained a phrase that the JISCMAIL content filter didn't like! From: csh3 [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 01 November 2011 11:35 To: 'Issues related to Historic Environment Records' Subject: RE: Why PDF/A for HER's? Hi Nick To some extent we do already provide a level 'digital HER archive service' by accessioning into the ADS archive all the grey literature which is submitted to HERs via OASIS (given relevant permissions and clearance on each report). This is currently undertaken at no charge to either the contractor or the HER. It is currently partly financially supported by an EH grant which covers about half the time and resources we spend on the work. The rest of it we cover ourselves. It may be that in the future we have to start charging but because we can semi automate some of the accessioning process because the grey lit comes in attached to OASIS 'metadata', and it comes to us in such volume (sometimes as many as 400 reports a month) we should be able keep any cost really low and at a flat rate that could be passed to developers. I must emphasise that there are no plans to charge for the deposition of grey literature submitted via OASIS in the foreseeable future and that we are committed to archive those we already hold in the same way as we treat all our other data. Just to clarify, OASIS should be used for current work and not as a means to upload backlog/old grey lit reports (we are trying to work out ways in which we can try to address those issues separately). I think the other key question about how likely things are to become obsolete is a good question; the point is that digital archiving is all about active management. Unlike some aspects of traditional archiving which can be quite low maintenance for decades at a time, digital archiving involves management on a much more frequent basis; keeping a technical watch on changes in the formats and how that will impact on preservation and acting accordingly. While it is not rocket science, it is quite specialist and time consuming. Jen has taken the specific technical questions off line, and we will post something in the next day or so that clarifies how to link to specific reports in the grey lit library from HERs, something that is already being done by some HERs, especially in the Heritage Gateway, as a matter of routine. And we'll also look at writing up some pdf/a guidance (already some in the OASIS FAQ section) and let you know when it's available. BW Catherine Catherine Hardman Deputy Director (Collections) The Archaeology Data Service Department of Archaeology University of York King's Manor York YO1 7EP Tel: +44 (0)1904 323954 email: [log in to unmask] http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/ http://www.york.ac.uk/docs/disclaimer/email.htm