Leo Konstantelos is Digital Archivist at the University of Glasgow
At the University of Glasgow, we have used the Bit List in a couple of ways:
In 2022, we put together a Business Case for funding to set up an Archival Forensics Lab. In this, we referenced the Bit List to demonstrate how many endangered digital species there are in our Archives and Special Collections.
More recently too, we used the Bit List risk classification and the information contained within the ‘Integrated Storage’ and ‘Portable Media’ species as part of a methodology and tool for prioritizing archival forensic processing of digital collections stored in physical storage media.
Prioritization is based on four criteria: storage conditions, average lifespan of storage medium, year of production, and Bit List classification. Using these criteria, we score each type of storage medium against a prioritization scale we have devised, which ranges from 1 (Low priority - action within 3 years) to 5 (Extreme priority - immediate action).
In both instances, using the Bit List provided a solid foundation and reference point to an independently verified resource, which also provides recommendations for good practice against each of the entries. For the Archival Forensics Lab, the Bit List significantly contributed to contextualizing and substantiating the need for the facility, resulting in the successful funding of the business case. For the prioritization methodology, the use of the Bit List as one of the criteria for digital preservation planning and decision-making is indicative of its value both as a knowledge base, and as a definitive source of evidence for decision-making and preservation action.
For more information, do get in touch. As a heads up, we will be releasing the methodology and tool under a CC license by the end of 2023 so watch this space!