10.30 - 11.30 am, Friday 6th December 2024
The LIR mission is to keep librarians, academic librarians in particular, informed about technologies that affect their practice.
Digital Preservation is the active management of digital resources to ensure they remain accessible and usable over time. The emphasis is on the long-term maintenance of authenticity, reliability, and usability.
Digital Preservation: Ensuring Access, Authenticity, and Usability for the Future will provide a comprehensive overview on the topic of digital preservation, and place it within an Irish context, with insights from practitioners in Irish libraries and archives. Broad themes will include:
- An Introduction to Digital Preservation
- Digital Preservation Policy and Implementation Strategy
- The Relationship with Digitisation and Digital Preservation
- A Panel Discussion
Registration for this free event is open
Please use your work email address to register
Speakers
The speakers will talk for 15 minutes on each area, followed by a Panel Discussion. The Panel will be chaired by Jenny O’Neill, the Co-Chair of the EOSC Long-Term Data Retention Task Force and Research Engagement Officer with HEAnet.
The session will take place over Zoom. To book your place, click on the button above. Attendance is free for all staff from LIR member institutions.
Niamh Murphy
Digital Preservation Librarian, University College Dublin
Niamh Murphy is the Digital Preservation Librarian at UCD Library, University College Dublin. She serves as Vice Chair of the Digital Preservation Coalition’s Advocacy and Community Engagement Sub-Committee and has authored several technical guides for the Digital Preservation Coalition, including resources on file format identification software and optical media imaging. Her Guide to the Installation of IsoBuster, IROMLAB, and IROMSGL, along with its accompanying blog post, was recognised by the Society of American Archivists as one of their most valued resources for 2024.
Brief abstract:
Niamh will provide a comprehensive introduction to digital preservation for Irish academic library staff, covering types of digital preservation, technical foundations, resources and support, and implementation strategy.
Kieran O'Leary
Digital Repository Services Manager, National Library of Ireland
Kieran is the Digital Repository Services Manager with the National Library of Ireland, leading the Digital Preservation and Repository Services Team within the Digital Collections department. He has worked in the field of digital preservation, born-digital archival material, software development and audiovisual preservation for over a decade. His work has resulted in several awards, including a DPC Digital Preservation Award in 2018 for his work with the IFI Irish Film Archive. Kieran also teaches digital preservation topics and tools with a variety of institutions, including University College Dublin and is currently enrolled in the Archives and Records Management MA in UCD.
Leona Fearon
Digital Preservation Analyst, National Library of Ireland
Leona Fearon joined the National Library of Ireland in November 2024, alongside Kieran O’Leary in the newly formed Digital Preservation and Repository Services Team. She previously worked in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) across a number of roles, primarily focused on the acquisition and long-term preservation of digital records from the NI public sector. She has extensive experience in the provision of access to trauma related archives, and was responsible for the delivery of the Annual Release of State Papers for a number of years. Her most recent role was focused on the technical transfer of digital records from Public Inquiries to PRONI, and the various sensitivities and technical considerations emanating from this. She has recently obtained a Post Graduate Certificate in Software Development from Ulster University. In her NLI role she will be primarily focused on the implementation of the newly created Digital Preservation policy and will be undertaking a number of projects to implement the principles it outlines.
Brief abstract:
The National Library of Ireland (NLI) unveiled its inaugural Digital Preservation Policy in 2023, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to safeguarding digital heritage. This presentation delves into the policy’s development, highlighting the collaborative efforts and resources that shaped its creation, including the application of the DPC Digital Preservation Policy Toolkit. Key policy statements will be explored, alongside an overview of the implementation strategies, some of which are already underway while others are set to commence. Additionally, the presentation will examine the organisational changes and advancements driven by the policy’s publication, offering insights into its impact on the NLI’s digital preservation practices.
Anja Mahler
Senior Archivist for Sound, Radió Teilifis Éireann (RTÉ)
Anja Mahler is the Senior Archivist for Sound at Radió Teilifis Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland’s national public service broadcaster. She oversees the digitization of RTÉ’s audio archive, which includes quarter-inch tapes and optical disc media, to ensure the preservation of Ireland’s audio heritage for future generations.
Brief abstract:
RTÉ was recently honoured with a FIAT/IFTA Archive Achievement Award in media preservation, underscoring its commitment to excellence in archival practices. In this presentation, Anja Mahler will discuss this recognition in relation to digital preservation principles, focusing on her role in leading the digitization of RTÉ’s extensive audio collections.
