Past projects have included;
Buckinghamshire Archives
Buckinghamshire Archives took part in the peer mentoring programme in 2022.
We needed help in this area:
Expertise in digital preservation fell short of where the service wanted to be, with uplift required in digital preservation skill across the service as well as in digital preservations policies and procedures. The mentorship sought to help prioritise and implement knowledge gained through the ‘Novice to Know-How’ training, identify priorities for digital work, and help to ensure digital policies and procedures were fit for purpose.
We achieved:
The project resulted in the creation interim deposit procedures, the creation of a digital asset register, the scoping of a job description for a fixed term digital post, and the creation and delivery of three training sessions for members of the team at Buckinghamshire Archives. Most importantly, the programme helped with confidence in dealing with digital records, particularly in applying existing knowledge from archival training and Novice to Know-How.
Hampshire Archives and Local Studies
Hampshire Archives and Local Studies took part in the peer mentoring programme in 2023.
We needed help in this area:
The mentees wanted to explore options for delivering digital preservation and access to ensure that Hampshire Archive Service is able to safeguard the records of the recent past and present. The service purchased Preservica in 2022 and wanted to work with a mentor who was further forward on a similar digital preservation journey.
We achieved:
The programme enabled skills development and increased confidence in digital preservation knowledge and terminology as well an understanding of different approaches to digital preservation and which would be applicable in the local context. Working with the mentor also helped with prioritisation of roadmap activities and progress towards key policy documentation.
Library of Birmingham
Library of Birmingham took part in the mentoring programme in 2021.
We needed help in this area:
The mentee was seeking to improve technical knowledge of digital preservation. A priority focus was to plan the bulk ingest of an existing digital asset management system into Preservica and the intention was to gain insights into planning the bulk transfer and ingest of digital content, as well as improving knowledge of useful tools, applications and processes that could be used (i.e. for metadata extraction / enhancement).
We achieved:
Although the challenges of remote working delayed progress, the technical insights and opportunities to discuss and demonstrate work with the mentor was invaluable in the long term. By the time the mentorship ended in July 2021, the bulk ingest was underway and has since been completed. Steady progress is continuing with, developing newly acquired born-digital collections, making some collections in Preservica available online, completing a digital preservation policy and strategy, and commencing a programme of staff training.
Shakespeare’s Globe
Shakespeare’s Globe took part in the peer mentoring programme in 2023.
We needed help in this area:
The Digital Archivist was looking to implement an infrastructure project, to replace existing servers and facilitate digital preservation (to be knitted together in-house as an off-the-shelf solution was too expensive).
We achieved:
Although the mentorship scheme expired before the ultimate delivery of the project, the mentorship helped inform discussion with the project manager and contractors, developed skills with existing tools, and shaped discussion within the organisation over succession planning for the digital archive role. It also helped deliver measurable outcomes including a Digital Preservation Policy and a Digital Preservation Strategy.
The Postal Museum
The Postal Museum took part in the peer mentoring programme in 2020.
We needed help in this area:
The mentee wanted help to improve and enhance digital preservation capability. Although the service had started to collect born digital material, workflows had not been established for managing this content. Support was needed to explore the types of documentation required and a critical friend to provide feedback on processes.
We achieved:
The project produced a suite of workflows which were shared with colleagues, covering aspects such as responding to failed integrity checks, and providing access to born digital collections. This supports sharing the digital preservation workload across the collections team.
University of Kent
University of Kent took part in the peer mentoring programme in 2023.
We needed help in this area
Help was required to set up a Digital Asset Register (DAR) for the service’s digital collections. It was felt the mentoring scheme would
- Provide motivation to get the project going and give some structure to the approach
- Offer the opportunity to have someone in a similar role on hand to discuss ideas with and get support from
- Be beneficial to have some external input, from someone that didn’t know the collections and therefore could be unbiased in their opinion of how the data could be organised
We achieved
By the end of the programme, the service had an almost completely populated DAR, a model for assessing risk, and ideas on how to take the next step in using the DAR for advocacy, with a much better understanding of the shape of the digital collections. The mentor was incredibly supportive, and it was so helpful to have someone to discuss difficulties with and to offer reassurance.
Wolverhampton City Archives
Wolverhampton City Archives took part in the peer mentoring programme in 2023.
We needed help in this area
With limited resources and no dedicated staff member dealing with digital preservation, the service found it difficult to find time to dedicate to it. Some inroads had been made, including developing policies and strategies, undergoing training such as Novice to Know-How, acquiring a dedicated and protected server space for digital records and joining the Midlands Digital Preservation Group (MiDiPres). However, the focus of a dedicated project was beneficial.
We achieved
The programme enabled dedicated regular time to focus on digital preservation. Over the course of the project workflows and procedures were developed, a digital asset register began to be populated and digital material was uploaded to Preservica on a regular basis. There was the chance to expand knowledge around digital material in a “safe” space where mistakes don’t matter and there is no such thing as a stupid question. Service benefits included greater resilience in having the procedures written down and a greater understanding about the digital records held, and where they are. Future developments include provision of public access to digital records and the broadening of staff knowledge throughout the team.