The National Archives of Ireland has today joined the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC). The DPC is an advocate and catalyst for digital preservation, enabling its members to deliver resilient long-term access to content and services, and helping them derive enduring value from digital collections. The core mission of the National Archives is to collect, manage, and preserve the public record of Ireland and ensure its long term availability as a research resource and to underpin citizens’ rights. The long term availability of the public record demonstrates transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
Speaking today, John McDonough, the Director of the National Archives noted that ‘Joining the DPC will enable the National Archives to address matters such as the capture, curation and preservation of the public record which is increasingly generated in electronic format. The National Archives will be able to leverage experience, technical knowledge and policy development from amongst the members of the DPC. Membership of the DPC will ensure the National Archives is better placed to meet the significant challenges it faces in this area.’
In joining the DPC, the National Archives along with its sister institution the National Library, in addition to Trinity College Dublin, the Royal Irish Academy, and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland will build towards a critical mass of institutions in Ireland concerned with the growing proliferation of cultural and administrative material in digital or electronic form and the need to take steps towards its ongoing preservation and access as key components of the State’s cultural, social and administrative history.
‘We’re delighted to welcome the National Archives to the DPC’, said Laura Mitchell, chair of the DPC and Deputy Keeper of the National Records of Scotland. ‘Our generation has invested as never before in digital technologies so it falls to our great archives and libraries to ensure that future generations can enjoy, explore and exploit the vast digital legacy that we have created. But it is no easy task.
'It is a great encouragement to all of us in the digital preservation community to be joined by the National Archives in that urgent and necessary endeavour.’
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Téann an Chartlann Náisiúnta i bpáirt leis an gCónaidhm um Chaomhnú Digiteach
Inniu, chuaigh an Chartlann Náisiúnta i bpáirt leis an gCónaidhm um Chaomhnú Digiteach (DPC). Is tacadóir agus catalaíoch an DPC don chaomhnú digiteach, agus cuireann sé ar chumas a chuid ball rochtain sheasmhach, fhadtéarmach ar ábhar agus seirbhísí a chur ar fáil, agus cuidíonn sé leo fiúntas seasmhach a bhaint as bailiúcháin dhigiteacha.
Is é bunchuspóir na Cartlainne Náisiúnta taifead poiblí na hÉireann a bhailiú, a riar agus a chaomhnú agus a chinntiú go mbeidh sé ar fáil mar acmhainn agus chun cearta an tsaoránaigh a chosaint. Léiríonn infhaighteacht fhadtéarmach an taifid phoiblí trédhearcacht agus cuntasacht sa phróiseas daonlathach.
Agus é ag labhairt inniu, dúirt John McDonough, Stiúrthóir na Cartlainne Náisiúnta, 'Cuirfidh an nasc leis an DPC ar chumas na Cartlainne Náisiúnta aghaidh a thabhairt ar nithe ar nós gabháil, coimeád agus caomhnú an taifid phoiblí atá á chur ar fáil níos minice anois i bhformáid leictreonach. Beidh an Chartlann Náisiúnta in ann leas a bhaint as taithí, eolas teicniúil agus forbairt polasaí bhaill an DPC. Cinnteoidh ballraíocht sa DPC go mbeidh seasamh níos fearr ag an gCartlann Náisiúnta agus í ag tabhairt aghaidh ar na dúshláin shuntasacha atá roimpi sa réimse seo.'
Agus í ina ball anois den DPC, beidh an Chartlann Náisiúnta agus a comhinstitiúidí - an Leabharlann Náisiúnta, chomh maith le Coláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, Oifig Thaifid Phoiblí Thuaisceart Éireann - ag bogadh i dtreo mais chriticiúil d'institiúidí in Éirinn a bhfuil baint acu leis an iomadú d'ábhar cultúrtha agus riaracháin i bhfoirm dhigiteach nó leictreonach atá ag dul i méid agus leis an ngá atá le bearta a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú go mbeidh sé caomhnaithe agus go mbeidh teacht air i gcónaí mar phríomhghnéithe de stair chultúrtha, shóisialta agus riaracháin an Stáit.
‘Tá an-áthas orainn fáilte a chur roimh an gCartlann Náisiúnta sa DPC,’ a dúirt Laura Mitchell, Cathaoirleach an DPC agus Leas-Choimeádaí Thaifid Náisiúnta na hAlban. “Tá glúin s'againne tar éis infheistíocht mhór a dhéanamh i dteicneolaíochtaí digiteacha agus, mar sin, ní mór dár gcartlanna agus dár leabharlanna a chinntiú go mbeidh na glúine atá romhainn in ann sásamh, iniúchadh agus leas a bhaint as an oidhreacht ollmhór dhigiteach atá cruthaithe againn. Ach ní gan dua a tharlóidh sé.
‘Is mór an ugach dúinn uile i bpobal an chaomhnaithe dhigitigh go bhfuil an Chartlann Náisiúnta tagtha ar bord chun cuidiú leis an iarracht phráinneach, riachtanach seo.”