The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) has awarded six scholarships so that members can attend the Digital Preservation Training Programme (DPTP) in London in October.

‘We wrote to our members in August offering three scholarships that meet the costs of attendance at the next session of the programme’, explained Bruno Longmore, Chair of the DPC.  ‘The judging panel was so impressed by the scale and quality of the response that they asked if we could extend the number of grants available. Given the clear evidence of demand and given how hard it can be to find other sources of support we decided to take the unusual step of funding three additional places.’

The following were selected by a small panel of judges which met to review the unexpectedly large number of applications submitted:

• Joy Ardill of the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland
• Ceri Forster of the Society of Archivists working in the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
• Polly Parry of the Natural History Museum
• Sarah Philips of RLUK working in Cardiff University
• Anusha Ranganathan of Oxford University Library Service
• Shane Start of the British Library

Applicants were judged against three main criteria: the role that DPTP would play in career development; the benefits to their organisation from attendance and the extent to which the applicant’s job profile within the organisation pertains to digital preservation. Applications were open to DPC members and associates.

Bruno Longmore, Head of Government Records at the National Archives of Scotland as well as Chair of the DPC reflected on the scheme: ‘The scholarships underline three important points: the diversity of the DPC’s membership; the need to build capacity for digital preservation in the UK; and our commitment to supporting members’ workforces. I’m really encouraged by the positive responses the programme has generated and I’m delighted that we were able to extend the programme. My only regret is that we were not able to fund all the excellent applications received.’

The Digital Preservation Training Programme (DPTP) is designed for all those working in institutional information management who are grappling with fundamental issues of digital preservation. It provides the skills and knowledge necessary for institutions to combine organisational and technological perspectives, and devise an appropriate response to the challenges that digital preservation needs present. DPTP is operated and organised by the University of London Computer Centre in collaboration with the DPC.

The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) is a not-for profit membership organisation whose primary objective is to raise awareness of the importance of the preservation of digital material and the attendant strategic, cultural and technological issues. It acts as an enabling and agenda-setting body within the digital preservation world and works to meet this objective through a number of high level goals. Its vision is to make our digital memory accessible tomorrow.

The next DPTP will be held at The Hatton buildings, Hatton Garden in Clerkenwell,  London from the 19th – 21st October 2009.

For more information on the DPC see: http://www.dpconline.org/ and for more on the Digital Preservation Training Programme see: http://www.dptp.org/