Explore UCD

UCD Home >

ARCV41510

Academic Year 2026/2027

Archives Preservation (ARCV41510)

Subject:
Archivistics
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Julie Brooks
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Using international standards and best practice, the module considers the preservation of archives and special collections, in both analogue and digital forms. It introduces students to the nature and characteristics of different formats, as well as the immediate and longer-term threats to their ongoing preservation and access. Being able to identify risks to collections and assess organisational preservation capabilities, in order to prioritise, plan for and manage preservation activities, are emphasised as key aspects of professional work. The module will provide students with an overview of the practical approaches that can be taken to mitigate preservation risks as well the importance of operating under the guiding framework of a preservation policy. The module includes consideration of climate impacts and environmental sustainability, both in terms of risks to collections as well as making choices in collection care which consider the environmental impacts of our work.

About this Module

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
-Understand the connection between collection care and environmental sustainability.

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 and policy
Week 6 Emergency planning, prevention and recovery for traditional archive & library materials
Week 7 Site visit to The Military Archives
Weeks 8 & 9 - reading period; no classes
Week 10 Preserving digital collections: introduction and issues
Weeks 11 & 12 Preserving digital materials: approaches and tools
Week 13 Digital repository options and preservation software
Week 14 Preservation software workshop and guest speaker

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 1

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 2

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

22
Field Trip/External Visits

2
Autonomous Student Learning

76
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small group module which is taught through weekly 2 hour seminars. Each seminar provides an overview of the week's topic, supported by the use of lecture slides, case studies and in-class activities, such as the analysis of relevant policy documents. Students are encouraged in individual active learning through participation in class discussions and in-class exercises. Student learning is further supported by a practitioner guest lecture and/or site visit. Autonomous learning includes the reading of relevant international preservation standards and guidelines available on Brightspace in advance of the relevant class.

While there will be discussion in this module of the extent to which generative AI is impacting the work of the recordkeeping professional, generative AI is not permitted to be used in this module. Any questions about this should be addressed to the module coordinator.

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of History are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This can include oral moderation meetings where the student is invited in for a short meeting with the module coordinator to discuss the assignment. Moderation contributes to better informed marking.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
ARCV41480 - Archives preservation


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Preserving traditional and analogue materials: write a report identifying preservation risks and making recommendations for improving collection care in the scenario provided. Week 7 Graded No
50
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Experience practical first steps in preserving digital material by drawing up a digital asset register, writing a statement about digital preservation risks and profiling digital files using DROID. Week 14 Graded No
50
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual feedback on each assignment will be provided in writing on Brightspace following submission and grading. Individual feedback on all assignments will be provided by one-to-one meetings on Zoom or via email if requested by students.

The Module Bibliography is available on Brightspace.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 13:00 - 14:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.