Executive Guide on Digital Preservation for Museums and Galleries

Risks 

Possible Consequences

Key Motivators

Preservation processes do not adequately consider rendering and display.

• Unable to correctly render files as originally intended
• Additional work required to address issues, including consultation with experts/the artist
• Loss of reputation
• Loss of funding

Authenticity

Costs

Reputation

Revenue

Digital objects/collections are not captured in a suitable preservation system

• Digital objects are unusable and un-displayable
• Loss of context/documentation
• Loss of reputation
• Loss of funding

Authenticity

Corporate/Cultural Memory

Reputation

Revenue

Absence of appropriately skilled and invested people responsible for digital preservation

• Incorrect/inadequate preservation
• Preservation does not occur
• Loss of ability to access/render digital objects
• Loss of context/documentation
• Loss of reputation
• Loss of funding

Authenticity

Business Continuity

Corporate/Cultural Memory

Costs

Reputation

Revenue

Absence of a documented workflow for the creation/acquisition and then maintenance of digital files

• Incorrect/inadequate preservation
• Preservation does not occur
• Loss of ability to access/render digital objects
• Loss of context/documentation
• Loss of reputation
• Loss of funding

Authenticity

Business Continuity

Corporate/Cultural Memory

Costs

Reputation

Revenue

Digital Preservation can…

Key Motivators

demonstrate the fulfilment of a legal obligation to display and therefore preserve collection objects in perpetuity

Accountability

Corporate/Cultural Memory

prevent interruptions to service and loss of earnings through resilient processes and sustained access to information which enable hardware and software updates, upgrades, obsolescence, failures and stoppages

Business Continuity 

Costs

enable tracking of unauthorized changes, copies and access leading to greater trust and assurance

Authenticity

Reputation

Security

enable robust and trusted iterations and audit trails, review and update to remain in line with the latest standards and best practices, safeguarding organizational reputation.

Accountability

Compliance

Reputation

create efficiencies in workflow and processes, as well as potentially creating income through data re-use

Business Continuity 

Revenue

maintain the cultural and monetary value of the collection, by sustaining access to it

Corporate/Cultural Memory

Reputation

instil confidence in the ability to preserve digital collections

Accountability

Reputation

cut the costs of viewing rooms open to the public by moving some collections into deep storage

Costs

Technology

help visitors to gain a deeper understanding of our cultural heritage creating new learning experiences with existing data

Corporate/Cultural Memory

reach new audiences by creating new learning experiences with existing data

Corporate/Cultural Memory

ensure the collection remains relevant and accessible to generations to come by creating digital copies

Corporate/Cultural Memory

be an investment in a high-quality service which enhances audience experience

Reputation