Full DPC members can use this page to learn about and discover how to access the 5 days per year of dedicated support time to which they are entitled
What kind of work can we help you with?
That depends on exactly what it is you're after, and we're more than happy to discuss the possibilities with you. We have worked on a really broad cross section of activities with our members, from in depth technical challenges to advising on the most appropriate training courses available, through to building the case for digital preservation within a department or organisation. With newer members, who are only just embarking on establishing a digital preservation capability, we often focus on activities such as: reviewing and honing business cases, developing and reviewing preservation policies, and developing and reviewing requirements for preservation system procurement exercises. Small injections of DPC expertise can often be invaluable as organisations take their first steps in digital preservation. With our more established members, we may tackle more organisation specific, and often subject specific challenges.
Note that our support can be one to one with the full member organisation, or we can work collaboratively (for example via a cross member working group), which can sometimes be an excellent use of limited resources, and one that exploits the vast wealth of knowledge across the Coalition. If a challenge is raised that is likely to have a broader interest, it may be worth exploring it further with a DPC Briefing Day, or writing it up as a Technology Watch Guidance Note.
Our expertise
Dedicated support for our members is faciliated by the DPC Team who have combined experience of many decades of working in digital preservation and advising organisations in solving digital preservation challenges. This experience is invaluable in supporting members, but is backed by an unrivalled depth of knowledge and expertise across the Coalition, which we can tap into to help you get the job done well.
Where do I start?
Every DPC Member is allocated a DPC Champion when they join the DPC. Your Champion is a member of the DPC staff who acts as a first point of contact with the DPC. If you're interested in arranging some dedicated support time, begin by contacting your champion with a short summary of the challenge you are facing. Your Champion will be able to consult with the wider DPC Team and then plan in the support you need. Contact details for the DPC Team can be found here. It should be noted that with a small core staff, our time is limited. Any dedicated support is subject to DPC staff availability. We would appreciate as much warning as possible for requests for dedicated support but will do our very best to meet your needs.
For more on the other sources of assistance available, see our Looking for Advice page.