Niamh Murphy is Digital Preservation Librarian at the James Joyce Library, University College Dublin
Attending the Digital Preservation Coalition’s Unconference last week, alongside our Digital Library Manager, Audrey Drohan, was an incredibly fulfilling experience. I am filled with immense gratitude and pride as I reflect on the event. Gratitude for being part of such a wonderful and inspiring community, and pride in the meaningful work that we all do.
The conference was exceptionally well-organised, featuring a variety of sessions, over the course of two days. With several options to choose from, I attended a diverse range of sessions, including:
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File Fixity Checking in the Cloud by Gen Schmitt of the University of Illinois
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File Format Identification and Validation Error Treatment by Sofie Ruysseveldt of Digital Archives Flanders
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Appraisal of Born-digital Archival Collections by Nicola Caldwell of the National Library of New Zealand
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Our Heritage, Our Stories: Towards A National Collection Project - Supporting Preservation and Linking of Community Generated Digital Content by Rebecka Rosenberg of Our Heritage, Our Stories and Karyn Williamson of the Digital Preservation Coalition
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Starting a New Digital Preservation Program and using RAM by Jacqueline Devereaux Astro of Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives
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Building and Supporting the Digital Preservation Community by Sarah Middleton of the Digital Preservation Coalition
Each session offered valuable insights and sparked engaging discussions afterwards.
I am also deeply appreciative of the community in attendance, who were forthcoming with their knowledge and experiences, which in turn, enriched the overall experience of the event. The importance of this community cannot be overstated. Connecting face-to-face with peers in Ireland and further afield, I felt a profound sense of belonging and mutual support. Not only do these interactions serve as a source of inspiration going forward, but they introduce the potential for collaboration with peer organisations in Ireland and abroad.
A huge thank you to the Digital Repository of Ireland for hosting the event in tandem with the Digital Preservation Coalition, in the beautiful Royal Irish Academy building, and finally, a special thank you to the DPC staff, whose dedication and support continue to uplift and motivate our community.