Preserving and Retrieving Electronic Records with Joe Iraci and Mark Leggott

posted by Allan_Chan @ 10:46 AM

Summary
TB2
Preserving and Retrieving Electronic Records. Joe Iraci, Mark Leggott. We are all familiar with the concept of storing information on CDs, DVDs, and magnetic tapes but how durable are these storage media and what are some of the alternatives? What can go wrong with these media and how long will they last? How should these media be handled and what is the correct procedure for storing them, for the long-term preservation of information? Joe Iraci, from the Canadian Conservation Institute will explore these and related issues. Mark Leggott (University Librarian, University of Winnipeg) will explore the equally important issue: how does one emulate the software that is no longer currently available but that is required, if one is to retrieve the information that is stored electronically.

First Speaker:
Notes

Joe Iraci: Joe is a graduate of the University of Ottawa and is currently working as Senior Conservation Scientist with the Canadian Conservation Institute.

CDs, DVDs, and Magnetic Tapes: Can I Trust Them?
-Deterioration and Remedies
Two key factors, preserving the content and preserving the carrier. Joe presented on preserving the carrier.
2 Key questions are:
1. Is the media healthy?
2. Is technology becoming obsolete? If the technology is becoming obsolete then it is time to look at reformatting.

Optical Discs
Problem: scratched disc.
Remedy: Orientation of scratch. Circular scratches are more problematic than radial scratches. Top side scratches to (to CD) cannot be repaired (light shinning through disc). Error correction system can usually read most scratches. Scratches to base of CD (or both sides of a DVD) can possibly be repaired by liquid polishing solutions and polishing equipment.
Prevention: store in jewel case; avoid touching disc surfaces and wipe only with soft non-abrasive cloth etc.

Problem: dirty disc.
Remedy: Remove loose debris. Remove fingerprints or dirt by wiping in a radial direction. Rinse and blot off excess water and air dry.

Problem: physically damaged disc.
Remedy: A broken or cracked disc cannot be repaired. Disc with missing pieces may stll be playable. Disc with dlaminated layers cannot be repaired.

Other issues: disc will not play properly or at all.
Remedy: Disc has adhesive label on it. Try to remove label with ethyl alcohol. DO NOT peel off the label dry. Clean the lens of the player. Try playing disc in a different player. Ensure equipment will play the disc format.

Magnetic Tape (audio, video, data) Problems
Problem: dirty tape (dust, debris fingerprints, other types of contamination).
Remedy: DON'T PLAY A CONTAMINATED TAPE! Use tape cleaning equipment.
Prevention: store in suitable plastic case, use in clean environment, ensure equipment is clean, do not handle tape with bare hands.

Problem: physically damaged tape.
Remedy: Attach broken tape with appropriate splices. Cut out mangled tape and splice remaining tape together. Rewind tape and let it sit for a few months.
Prevention: keep equipment in good condition.

Problem: binder degradation.
Remedy: dry out tape. Store in dry environment (less than 25% relative humidity) for several months. Clean the tape. Baking the tape.
Prevention: store the tape cool and dry.

Other problems: tape will not play properly or at all.
Remedy: try playing tape in another machine. Use a tape head cleaner/demagnetizer or get equipment serviced. Transfer tape to another cassette.

Longevity of Media
Magnetic tape: 5-30 years (digital tapes at low end of range). Magnetic discs: 3-15 years. Optical discs: CD Read only, 5-100 years. DVD read only, 50-300 years.

Relative stability scale:
More Stable

CD-R (gold metal layer)
CD-R (silver alloy metal layer)
CD (read only)
DVD (movie disc)
DVD-R
CD-RW
CD-R (azo dye)
CD-R (cyanine dye)

Less Stable


Conclusion:
Can I trust them? Yes, if you:
-Store and handle properly.
-Protect against loss due to diasters, theft, etc.
-Choose good quality materials.
-Watch the marketplace.
-Record properly.

My notes: Joe also discussed labelling the disc by writing. A recommendation was made to write only on the hub of the disc. Repeated play on a disc has no effect on the wear and tear of a disc. In terms of baking tapes, Joe spoke of people using food dehydrators to bake their tape. MMMM.. Ronco "tape baking food dehydrators". Tapes should be stored vertical, standing up.


Second Speaker:

Notes
Mark Leggott: m.leggott@uwinnipeg.ca

Digital Dumpster? Preserving and Accessing Digital Records.

Digital information gives us an opportunity to preserve information into the long term.

How to preserve digital records accessible today using technolgy (software and hardware) that will disappear tommorrow?

-BBC Domesday book.

Goals:
-preserve every record ever created?
-never happened before, not likely to now
-system will not be perfect: designed to meet objectives subject to constraints
-preserve bit-stream wherever possible
-develop expertise in all types of preservation

Issues
-proliferation of document standards and formats
-increasing complexity of data formats
-reliance on specific software programs
-copyright/intellectual property wrinkles
-emphasis on creation of new little attention paid to preservation and research

Migration
Moving original record to new media.

Conversion
Create alternative form of original record.
ie: PDF--> Bogo-PDF.
Advantages: relatively easy; automation possible; many options; inexpensive; good standards.
Disadvantages: introduction of artifiacts/errors: compound over time; hard to ensure perfect output.

TPreservation
Preserve original Technology + Record
Advantages: easy; perfect output; inexpensive.

TEmulation
Create New Technolgy + Original record
Advantages: Best at preserving content, presentation, functionality, authenticity; perfect output: modern functions/options.

CAMiLEON project
www.si.umich.edu/CAMILEON/

My notes:
Mark opened at the beginning with a quote about himself preferring to dropkick his tapes as opposed to Joe baking them. Most people in our industry say that books will last forever, but of course they don't. The key to preservation is to preserve the bit stream.