Mzodidi Tutuka is Principal Library Assistant, Digital Preservation, at University at Cape Town Library. He attended the No Time To Wait 7 conference with support from a travel grant from the DPC Career Development Fund, which is funded by DPC Supporters.
Recently, the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) has afforded me the invaluable opportunity to attend a remarkable NTTW7 conference held in the captivating city of Prague. The event was a convergence of minds, a gathering of experts, scholars, and enthusiasts alike, all fervently dedicated to unravelling the complexities of safeguarding our digital heritage. Over the course of three days (8-10 November 2023) immersed in riveting discussions, illuminating presentations, and networking, I gleaned profound insights that underscored the critical importance of working and preserving our digital legacy for future generations.
Unveiling the Tapestry of Digital Preservation
The conference was kicked off by Michal Bregant welcoming all the attendees and organisers. In his speech, the director of the Narodni Filmovy Archiv did not fall short in promising that the NTTW7 conference will serve a melting pot of diverse topics, inviting attendees from various disciplines—archivists, librarians, technologists, and researchers—to delve into the multifaceted realm of heritage (digital) preservation. In his own words, Michal Bregant emphasised the importance of a community where people share failures, not for us to repeat them, but to make new ones. He stated that by not repeating old failures we are saving on time and resources. The subsequent sessions were a kaleidoscope of topics, spanning from technical intricacies to revealing the nuanced challenges and innovative solutions in the field.
Navigating the Landscape of Challenges
One of the points that resonated with me from most speakers was the escalating challenges posed by rapidly evolving technologies to people who work with digital items. The keynote speakers eloquently highlighted the ephemeral nature of digital content, emphasizing the urgency to combat obsolescence and ensure the longevity of our digital records. Another highlighted aspect was that of different workflows and different schools of thoughts which pose as a difficulty in practitioners’ inability to point in the same direction. In essence, this is a good issue that pulls communities together to speak about learning from each other in a conference such as NTTW. Other discussions (as expected) revolved around the complexities of format migration, digital obsolescence, and the pressing need for sustainable strategies amid the ever-changing technological landscape. I was, however, a bit disappointed that the elephant in the room was not disturbed by any of the speakers. Artificial Intelligence is a pink elephant that, in snooping its trunk on every facet of the digital environment, needs to be reckoned with.
Innovations and Best Practices
The conference was a platform for unveiling cutting-edge methodologies and best practices in handling digital conversion and preservation. Presenters shared success stories and innovative approaches, shedding light on robust frameworks for metadata management, emulation strategies, and collaborative efforts to create open standards for long-term preservation.
Ethical Imperatives and Social Responsibilities
Amidst the technical intricacies discussed by the speakers on NTTW7, there were ethical dimensions of digital preservation that could have been raised and discussed. I personally feel that technical practitioners’ recommendations will take a long time to be implemented if there is no engagement with officials, governments and policy makers, etc. The granular technicalities of handling digital items were discussed very well in the NTTW7 by all the presenters, but there is room for more engagement to address social responsibility embedded in preserving digital artifacts, acknowledging the significance of cultural heritage, memory institutions, and ensuring a practical user-oriented approach.
Reflecting on the Prague Experience
My time at the conference in Prague was nothing short of an enlightening and enriching experience, despite the cold weather. It was motivating to be around like-minded professionals, exchanging ideas, and to see how committed everyone was in protecting digital legacies. It was comforting to know that there are other people working on the same kind of work as me and that the struggles I come across in my day-to-day work are shared with others who are working towards the same solutions as I am. The experience reinforced the notion that digital preservation is not solely a technical endeavour but a harmonious fusion of technological innovation which should include ethical considerations, and social responsibilities. I want to deeply extend my gratitude to DPC and its team for granting me this opportunity.
Conclusion
As I bid farewell to the cobblestone streets and historical bridges of Prague and the thought-provoking discussions of the conference, I carry with me a renewed sense of purpose. Each of us has a role to play in safeguarding our digital heritage for posterity. The journey has just begun, let us embrace technological innovation, and collaborative efforts to ensure that our digital footprints endure the test of time. In the heart of this historic city, I found inspiration and knowledge that will undoubtedly shape my journey in the realm of digital preservation for years to come.
Acknowledgements
The Career Development Fund is sponsored by the DPC’s Supporters who recognize the benefit and seek to support a connected and trained digital preservation workforce. We gratefully acknowledge their financial support to this programme and ask applicants to acknowledge that support in any communications that result. At the time of writing, the Career Development Fund is supported by Arkivum, Artefactual Systems Inc., boxxe, Evolved Binary, Ex Libris, Iron Mountain, Libnova, Max Communications, Preservica, and Simon P Wilson. A full list of supporters is online here.