Challenges of long-term preservation

of digital cultural heritage

Uldis ZariņšNational Library of Latvia

Challenge

• Collection, preservation and accessibility of digital cultural heritage

• Includes both born-digital materials and digital representations of physical heritage

• Materials – from text, images and audiovisual materials to data bases, software and web pages

© LNB

Argument

“Disappearance of heritage in whatever form constitutes an impoverishment of the heritage of all nations.”(UNESCO Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage)

Purpose

• The purpose of preserving the digital heritage is to ensure that it remains accessible to the public(UNESCO Vancouver declaration)

• Refers to the Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – each individual has the right to seek, receive and impart information through any media and regardless of frontiers

Types of problems (1)

• Awareness: – Importance of digital cultural heritage

• Technical:– Obsolescence of software and hardware– Physical decay of data carriers– Interoperability and standarts

• Policy:– Mandate of memory institutions– Selection of materials for preservation

Types of problems (2)

• Skills– Formal education, training, best-practice

• Legal– Cross-border nature– Different implementation of exceptions and

limitations– Uncertain territoriality – Technological protection measures– Privacy issues

Role of UNESCO

• Theme “Access to knowledge”, programmes “Information for All” and “Memory of the World”

• Resolution 34 of the 31st session of General Conference (2001)

• Charter on the Preservation of the Digital Heritage (2003) – advocacy and policy issues

• Guidelines for digital preservation – technical and practical issues

• Six years later...

Achievements

• Increased awareness• Development of methods, procedures,

standarts, know-how and best practice ofdigital preservation

• Development of technological tools• Implementation of national policies and

legislation• Open access to research publications and data

Developments in Latvia

• Legal deposit law– Applies to digital documents– Provides mandate for web harvesting

• Archive law– Applies to digital documens– Allows for digitisation of documents

• Copyright law– Includes an exception for libraries, archives and

museums

New developments

• Dramatic development of internet• E-books, streaming of audio and video materials,

mobile applications, online games, 3D printing

• Social media, user generated content• Application of new types TPMs

Vancouver declaration

• Conference “The Memory of the World in the Digital Age: Digitization and Preservation”, Vancouver, September 26-28, 2012

• “There is a pressing need to establish a roadmap proposing solutions, agreements and policies, that ensure long term access and trustworthy preservation, which should address issues like open government, open data, open access and electronic government.”

Status quo

• Value of digital heritage is underestimated• Absence of legal and institutional frameworks• Lack of knowledge and skills• Lack of funding

Declaration recommends

• Develop a legal framework• Develop academic curricula and training• Establish a multi-stakeholder forum for

standartization and practices• Develop guidelines, policies and best-practice• Update 2003 guidelines• Include preservation of and access to digitized

cultural heritage in the proposed recommendation on documentary heritage

Legal questions (1)

– (Digital preservation should) “balance access with privacy, right to knowledge with economic rights”

– “A fair balance between the legitimate rights of creators and other rights holders and the interests of the public to access digital heritage materials should be reaffirmed and promoted”

– “Member States need appropriate legal and institutional frameworks to secure the protection of their digital heritage”

Legal framework (2)

• Vancouver declaration calls to:– “Support the work of the international archival, library

and museum community to secure an international legal framework of copyright exceptions and limitations to ensure preservation of and access to cultural heritage in digital format, and acquisition of and access to that heritage in a culturally appropriate manner”

Points for discussion

• What’s next after the Vancouver declaration? • Should there be a legally binding instrument?• How to improve the legal framework?• What are incentives for software and hardware

producers, creators, producers, publishers and distributors to get involved?

Thank you!