Automating OAIS compliant digital preservation using Archivematica and DSpace
Hrafn Malmquist · Figshare · 2019
Developing a comprehensive system for permanent digital preservation is a daunting task that entails taking due consideration to both preservation and access. Such a workflow can result in a multi-step manual process including steps for file normalisation and metadata creation/extraction which can be relatively time consuming. Currently there is open source software available that supports this but with limited in-built integration. Some content, notably archives of individuals, needs to be manually appraised by a digital archivist. Other content, such as documents created systematically as part of operating a large bureaucratic organisation follow a set prescription enabling a high degree of automation for archiving. At The University of Edinburgh we have been developing such an integrated workflow using open source software; Archivematica and Dspace optionally integrating with ArchivesSpace as well. This has meant developing Archivematica in cooperation with it's main developer Artefactual culminating in support for DSpace REST integration being included in the Archivematica 1.8/Storage Service 0.13 release in the autumn of 2018.