Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this module students to be able:
Understand the importance of a preventive approach to preservation and articulate the difference between preventive and remedial preservation activities
Be familiar with the physical components and configuration of traditional analogue materials, and their resultant preservation vulnerabilities and requirements
Identify the wide range of activities that comprise a preservation programme
Develop understanding of the main issues and challenges in the preservation of digital archives
Develop awareness of the core aspects of approaches to digital preservation and the key skills and tools to commence digital preservation activities.
Indicative Module Content:
The module will cover the following broad areas: Week 1 introduction to preservation and preservation principles; Week 2 Understanding traditional archive & historic library materials and the threats they face; Week 3 Preservation in practice: archive and library buildings, storage and environments; Week 4 Preservation in practice: storage and other aspects of collection care; Week 5 Preservation planning; Week 6 Guest speaker/Site visit; Week 7 Emergency planning, prevention and recovery for traditional archive & library materials; Week 8 Preserving digital materials: introduction and issues; Week 9 Preserving digital materials: approaches and options; Week 10 Preserving digital materials, preservation software systems; Weeks 11 Guest speaker/Site visit.