Storing digital content is best done when it is a structured method. You may need to first understand where the digital content is located and determine if there is already a structure in place. This may involve talking with others in your organization who work with the servers, external storage media, storage services (e.g. DropBox, Box, GDrive), and computers where digital content is kept. Metadata will also play a part in how the structure of the digital content should be packaged.
There is a difference between how your digital content is structured and grouped and how the files are actually kept on a server. When talking with IT, share with them that there are digital preservation requirements for packaging the digital objects that are selected for digital preservation. They are well described in the OAIS Framework and illustrated here as components of an OAIS Information Package.
Packaging containers
- Is this digital content in Folders?
- Is this digital content in ZIP or TAR files?
- Was a standard tool used to package this digital content?
- Bagger / BagIt
- Archivematica / BagIt
- DART (Digital Archivists Resource Tool) / BagIt
Examples:
Example 1 - Digital Records Collections
Example 1 - Digital Photographs Packaging Your Digital Content: Digital Photographs
Question for your team/organization: What are your DP services provider’s requirements for the digital content they will be working with you to preserve? Are their requirements the same for all digital content types or does it vary? Do you need to reorganize your content before it gets packaged for DP storage? TDL members contact TDL for more information and assistance.
Sources: Using approaches developed by and for the Digital Preservation Management (DPM) Workshop curriculum and resources.
Related Resources:
This is a joint initiative between TDL Digital Preservation Services and the Digital Preservation Management (DPM) Workshop and Global Archivist LLC. Dr. Nance McGovern and Kari Smith 2024.