Comments on: Digital Preservation Activities: NSF’s “DataNet” and the NSF/Mellon Blue Ribbon Task Force http://dltj.org/article/digital-preservation-activities/ We're Disrupted, We're Librarians, and We're Not Going to Take It Anymore Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:48:39 +0000 hourly 1 By: the jesterhttp://dltj.org/article/digital-preservation-activities/comment-page-1/#comment-24852 the jester Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:59:47 +0000 http://dltj.org/2007/10/digital-preservation-activities/#comment-24852 If you're not careful, Ron, some version of your thoughts might make their way into a proposal somewhere. ;-)My read of the program solicitation is that there is a strong desire for successful proposals to bring in practitioners from the field in question. Another part of the solicitation indicates that successful applications will "Possess expertise in library and archival sciences; computer, computational, and information sciences; cyberinfrastructure; and domain sciences. Integrate this expertise into a single, functional unit through an organizational structure that enables shared responsibility, close coordination and cooperation, and catalyzes the exchange of ideas."One difficult part may be for "cultural heritage gatekeepers" to break out of their traditional roles. It would seem like the program statement is written to ensure that happens. If you’re not careful, Ron, some version of your thoughts might make their way into a proposal somewhere. ;-)

My read of the program solicitation is that there is a strong desire for successful proposals to bring in practitioners from the field in question. Another part of the solicitation indicates that successful applications will “Possess expertise in library and archival sciences; computer, computational, and information sciences; cyberinfrastructure; and domain sciences. Integrate this expertise into a single, functional unit through an organizational structure that enables shared responsibility, close coordination and cooperation, and catalyzes the exchange of ideas.”

One difficult part may be for “cultural heritage gatekeepers” to break out of their traditional roles. It would seem like the program statement is written to ensure that happens.

]]> By: Ron Murrayhttp://dltj.org/article/digital-preservation-activities/comment-page-1/#comment-24845 Ron Murray Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:47:45 +0000 http://dltj.org/2007/10/digital-preservation-activities/#comment-24845 NSF’s increased involvement in the digital preservation arena should bring with it NSF’s strong, science-oriented approach towards exploring this topic. In his work “Image and Logic: A Material Culture of Microphysics,” the historian of Science Peter Galison argues that modern Physics now rests on three pillars - theory, experiment, and simulation. Much of what is taken as digital preservation system design and development has proceeded from - at best - a largely theoretical base. This would include the design of Digital Item packaging structures and the retention and use of legacy multimedia data formats.Should Galison’s other two legs of experimentation and simulation be brought to bear on digital preservation issues, I definitely hope to see prospective research groups develop:<ul> <li>A real simulation of an Open Archival Information System (using tools like Isee Systems’ STELLA or iThink), in order to examine the full system consequences of OAIS design choices like using uncompressed multimedia files, or the use of “scalable media” to fully implement the OAIS “Generate DIP” function instead of offloading aspects of that function to institutional intermediaries or to the end-user.</li><li>A real program of experimentation to explore the effect of individual and group differences on things like image and audio quality judgments and preferences. Present practice is for Cultural Heritage gatekeepers in constrained situations to judge/declare image/audio quality levels on behalf of end-users. However, the least bit of research into visual discrimination tasks indicates that large differences in, for example, image viewing can exist as a function of factors like visual arts training.</li><li>A Sociological or Communication-Theoretic study of Cultural Heritage institutions as elements of a global communication network. Especially interesting would be: an analysis of CH institution’s communication and control structures - and their behind-the-scenes social network; and a “Diffusion of Innovation” analysis of which technologies are/are not adopted.</li> </ul> NSF’s increased involvement in the digital preservation arena should bring with it NSF’s strong, science-oriented approach towards exploring this topic. In his work “Image and Logic: A Material Culture of Microphysics,” the historian of Science Peter Galison argues that modern Physics now rests on three pillars – theory, experiment, and simulation. Much of what is taken as digital preservation system design and development has proceeded from – at best – a largely theoretical base. This would include the design of Digital Item packaging structures and the retention and use of legacy multimedia data formats.

Should Galison’s other two legs of experimentation and simulation be brought to bear on digital preservation issues, I definitely hope to see prospective research groups develop:

  • A real simulation of an Open Archival Information System (using tools like Isee Systems’ STELLA or iThink), in order to examine the full system consequences of OAIS design choices like using uncompressed multimedia files, or the use of “scalable media” to fully implement the OAIS “Generate DIP” function instead of offloading aspects of that function to institutional intermediaries or to the end-user.
  • A real program of experimentation to explore the effect of individual and group differences on things like image and audio quality judgments and preferences. Present practice is for Cultural Heritage gatekeepers in constrained situations to judge/declare image/audio quality levels on behalf of end-users. However, the least bit of research into visual discrimination tasks indicates that large differences in, for example, image viewing can exist as a function of factors like visual arts training.
  • A Sociological or Communication-Theoretic study of Cultural Heritage institutions as elements of a global communication network. Especially interesting would be: an analysis of CH institution’s communication and control structures – and their behind-the-scenes social network; and a “Diffusion of Innovation” analysis of which technologies are/are not adopted.
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