A Dutch approach in constructing a network of nationwide
facilities for digital preservation together
Joost VAN DER NAT

National Coalition Digital Preservation
P.O. Box 17 097, 1001 JB Amsterdam
The Netherlands+316 5204 8788
jvdnat@ncdd.nl

Marcel RAS

National Coalition Digital Preservation
P.O. Box 90 407, 2509 LK Den Haag
The Netherlands+316 1477 7671
marcel.ras@kb.nl

ABSTRACTIn November 2016 this research was rewarded the Digital Preservation Coalition Award 2016 in the category Research and Innovation [3]. According to the jury the research report presents anoutstanding model to help archives and memory institutes to sharefacilities and create a distributed, nationwide infrastructure network for Digital Preservation. In this workshop participants will beable to gain a deep understanding of this collaboration model andwill be provided exercises to work with and apply it to their own
archiving facilities in order to explore the possibilities of a similar
shared network for digital preservation in their own environment.
The goals of the workshop are: (1) to introduce the participants tothe model, gain understanding of the way to define supply and demand for DP-services, Then (2) to apply these elements to theirown situation by rating and ranking the grid with essential DP
Building Blocks; and (3) to explore the appropriate means to acquire the Services needed within a nationwide collaborative network. Throughout these 3 steps, practical examples are given ofdistributed use of infrastructure in the Netherlands.

KEYWORDSLong term digital preservation, Infrastructure, Services, Facilities,
Building Blocks, Supply, Demand, Rating & ranking, Means.

1INTRODUCTION

1.1

Organisational setting

As part of the national strategy for Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands, under the umbrella of the Network Digital Cultural Heritage [1] (Dutch acronym: NDE), a model [2] for a network of distributed facilities to ensure long-term accessibility of digital cultural heritage was developed. This model is part of a nationwide
strategy of development of collaborative Services based on threepillars: to make the digital heritage wider visible, better usable andmore sustainable preserved. The network was established on theinitiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science andconsists of a number of large organizations occupying key positions in the field of digital heritage [4].
Work packages are established for each of the pillars, outlining theprojects necessary to achieve its central goals. The development ofthe network of facilities is part of the Sustainability work package,
which is carried out by the Dutch National Coalition for Digital
Preservation (NCDD) [5] between 2015 and 2017. The first concepts of the collaborative model were actually developed by theNCDD as part of its strategy to set up distributed national infrastructure based on a collaborative approach. The NCDD acts as thenational platform for exchange of knowledge and expertise and has
a role in coordinating and facilitating the establishment of a national network in which long term access to digital information=which is of crucial importance for science, culture and society=is guaranteed.
Within the framework of the Digital Heritage Network a catalogueof existing preservation Services to be used in a collaborative infrastructure, has been developed. Alongside, a range of case studies
will bring the model to a practical level. Having a theoretical model
is very helpful, but bringing it to an operational level is even better.
1.2

Very brief description of results of the research

In this workshop we will focus on practical implementations of themodel for a network of distributed facilities. How can we movefrom theory into practice?
The workshop will help the participants to gain a deep understanding of the underlying concepts of the model. What are the steps wetook in the development of the model?
Two basic concepts of the model are depicted in the two following
diagrams.

Fig 1 Infrastructure for digital preservation

In Figure 1 the constituent elements of the catch-all term “infrastructure for digital preservation” are put in a model. This allowsfor an overall look at all the required elements and its relations.
This shows that the necessary elements are not just IT-elements,
but also involve knowledge, policies, quality control, training andmany more organisational aspects.

Based on this high-level model and other sources [6] we developed
a “Business – IT stack” for digital preservation, with Building
Blocks representing all elements we think are the parts of the digital preservation environment.

2.
3.
4.
5.

In a first exercise the participants will try to articulate the demand of sample organisations. A hand out is given;In the second session the participants will identify suitable
Building Blocks on the Supply side for the Demand they havearticulated in their first session;
Two [7] or three practical examples will be given of cooperation in the Dutch context;
In the last session the same work groups are now asked to select the proper Means to achieve their goals for cooperation.
A hand out is given with a provisional list of possible Means.

If and when email addresses of participants are available, we intend
to send the participants a concise reader with background materialas a preparation to the workshop [8].
Total time of the workshop, including breaks, is 3:00 hours.

3INTENDED AUDIENCE

Anyone interested in learning more about creating a network of
distributed facilities for digital preservation. This tutorial has astrong practitioner focus and will be especially interesting for thoseworking with Digital Archives and Digital Collections. Custodiansof these collections who are faced with a multitude of questions
and developments will gain a better understanding of the subject.
Fig 2 Building Blocks for digital preservation

4EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After the workshop, participants will have knowledge / understanding of:
the notions of “Infrastructure” and “Services” for Digital Preservation; existing facilities in the Netherlands; how to articulate Demand for a Facility; Building Blocks, determine the most importantones, identify “quick wins”; what Means are available; what typeof Means are suitable for various Services.

In figure 2 all these elements are depicted as Building Blocks. From
IT-elements as storage facilities, to standards, training, R&D, andsemantics. Any organisation, or collaborative effort, obligated toensure long-term access to digital information should have (mostof) these elements organised. The model then focuses on those elements which could be shared within a network or a collaborativeeffort. The dark blue Building Blocks are the ones that are potentially shareable. The grey ones seem by definition organisation specific. Having the shareable elements defined, scenarios were developed to set out the lines for collaboration. In this, collaboration isalways based on two sides of the coin: the Supply and the Demandfor Services.

Marcel Ras is the Program Manager of the Dutch National Coalition for Digital Preservation (NCDD).
Joost van der Nat is the principal researcher.

26TOPICSIn the workshop we will connect Supply and Demand for Services
for digital preservation:

In order to do so, the workshop will consist of five parts:
1.

The participants will be introduced to the underlying conceptsof “distributed facilities for digital preservation”;

5PRESENTERS

REFERENCES[1] The Network Digital Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands:
http://www.ncdd.nl/en/ncdd-projects/digital-heritage-network/[2] Link to English Summary of report: http://ncdd.nl/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/summary_NCDD_research_DEFWEB.pdf[3] Link to DPC, winners of Digital Preservation Award 2016:
http://www.dpconline.org/events/digital-preservation-awards/the-winners[4] The participants in this network are national organizations with large digitalcollections and a mandate to preserve them, like the National Library (Koninklijke Bibliotheek or KB), the Institute of Sound and Vision (BenG), theRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the National
Archives (NA), the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) together with other partners like for example the knowledge centre Digitaal
Erfgoed Nederland (DEN) and the National Coalition for Digital Preservation (NCDD).
[5] Link to the Dutch National Coalition for Digital Preservation (NCDD)(English): http://www.ncdd.nl/en/about-the-ncdd/[6] Amongst which the Work package “D21.1 OVERVIEW OF PRESERVATION SERVICES” of the APARSEN Project (Alliance for Permanent Access to the Records of Science Networks). See: http://www.alliancepermanentaccess.org/wp-content/uploads /sites/7/downloads /2014/06/APARSENREP-D21_1-01-2_1_incURN.pdf[7] The case of video-recordings of the Dutch Parliament is one, the need for“storage” of small(er) Frisian museums is another.
[8] The reader will contain (1) a Summary of the Research, (2) a graphic of themodel of the Building Blocks with a short description of each Block, (3) theprogram of the workshop, and (4) the intended hand outs