New Digital Preservation Resources ‘In A Box’ (A Virtual One, That Is!)

NDSA Outreach Working Group.
"Digital Preservation in a Box Poster" .http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/files/2012/07/Box-image-small3.jpg

The National Digital Stewardship Alliance, Outreach Working Group, has just unveiled a brand new resource designed as a toolkit to support outreach activities that introduce the basic concepts of preserving digital information.

Digital Preservation in a Box
Digital Preservation in a Box, or (DPB) is the result of work done by National Digital Stewardship Alliance’s Outreach Working Group. It is designed as an instrument  to support outreach activities that introduces the basic concepts of preserving digital information.

The DPB seeks to provide the best available resources and tools to help you communicate digital preservation and stewardship concepts and issues.

The materials are geared towards a general audience who routinely create or manage digital information, but who may need a working knowledge of this area for digital preservation on the job or for training others on how to preserve digital resources.

A ‘Box’ That’s Not Really a Box?
So, the NDSA’s Outreach Working Group has not really packed up a bunch of goodies and put them into a ‘REAL’ box! Instead, their Digital Preservation in a Box project refers to 'Virtual Box'! Or, actually more accurately the DPB is a single repository of extremely useful resources and tools about digitization and digital preservation. According to a recent Library of Congress blog posting, the DPB includes:

• Digital Preservation 101 – introductory materials, including videos, articles, and tutorials explaining the concepts involved in digital preservation
• Glossary – collection of glossaries from various institutions and programs, containing explanations of relevant terms
• Preservation by Format – where to find information for specific digital formats including photographs, audio, video, email, etc.
• Digital Preservation Tools – basic tools listed for either “consumer” or “information professional”
• Digital Storage – some options geared towards personal archiving or the basic knowledge needed to understand preservation storage technology.
• Resources for Educators – curriculum guidance and teaching materials
• Marketing and Outreach – links to marketing materials that can be adapted to support specific events.
• Event Guidance – what you need to know to prepare a digital preservation event at your institution
• Brief Introduction to Digitization – all about scanning, and making the distinction between digital preservation and digitization

Check It Out! - Feedback Welcome!
Now that the DPB is out, the NDSA’s Outreach Working Group has been quick to let everyone know this just the beginning for the “Box”. Regular updates will be provided as new resources are identified. In fact they want to hear our ideas and have included a comment area for public feedback.

For more information on the NDSA, visit http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/ndsa/, or follow them on Twitter:@NDSA2

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Digital Directions is sponsored by E-Z Photo Scan where making digital preservation easy is our mission. Visit E-Z Photo Scan to learn more about the possibilities for achieving your digital preservation goals. E-Z Photo Scan is also part of the National Digital Stewardship Alliance and member of its Outreach Working Group.