Leeds University Library is delighted to announce the launch of the Sustainable PReservation Using Community Engagement (SPRUCE) project. SPRUCE will inspire, guide, support and enable HE, FE and cultural institutions to address digital preservation gaps; and to use the knowledge gathered from that activity to articulate a compelling business case for digital preservation.

SPRUCE is aiming to foster a vibrant and self-supporting community of digital preservation practitioners via a mixture of online interaction and face to face events based on the successful AQuA Project mashups (see http://wiki.opf-labs.org/display/AQuA/Home). The events will provide support and technical expertise to address specific digital preservation challenges. The best work from event attendees will secure funding awards to further develop the activity and embed it within business as usual processes at the home institution. £60k is available for these awards and will be allocated during the 2 year life of the SPRUCE project.

SPRUCE will build on the experience of these activities in order to develop a strong business case for digital preservation, with the aim of supporting and embedding good DP practise beyond the life of the project.

The first SPRUCE mashup will be held in Glasgow in April 2012. Details will be made available shortly on the SPRUCE website here: http://www.dpconline.org/advocacy/spruce

SPRUCE is a JISC funded partnership between Leeds University Library, the British Library, the London School of Economics, the Digital Preservation Coalition, and the Open Planets Foundation.