The search for the very best work in digital preservation across all sectors has begun again this year, with the launch of the 2020 Digital Preservation Awards!
The prestigious Digital Preservation Awards is the most prominent celebration of achievement for those people and organisations who have made significant and innovative contributions to maintaining our digital legacy.
This year the exciting process will culminate in a presentation ‘with a difference’ on World Digital Preservation Day on Thursday 5th November 2020. More information about the presentation of awards will follow in due course.
Last time, winners on the night were Stanford University Libraries with ePADD; Jennifer Allen, Matthew Farrell, Shira Peltzman, Alice Prael and Dorothy Waugh with ‘The Archivist’s Guide to Kryoflux;’ Anna Oates who had studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to produce her thesis on ‘Navigating the PDF/A Standard;’ Crossrail and Transport for London with their collaborative ‘Archiving Crossrail’ project; IFI Irish Film Archive for their IFI Loopline Project; and not forgetting the DPC Fellowship which was awarded to Barbara Sierman.
Winners, Judges, Finalists and Sponsors gathered at the Amsterdam Museum to celebrate the Digital Preservation Awards 2018
Click to see the 2018 finalists with case studies and presentations
Click to hear from the winners of the 2018 Digital Preservation Awards on the night
“To know that the work we have done has been recognised globally, on World Digital Preservation Day, is just something we could not have dreamed of five years ago,” explains winner of the 2018 Award for Safeguarding the Digital Legacy, Kasandra O’Connell, Head of the IFI Irish Film Archive.
Kieran O’Leary, Access and Digital Collections Developer for the IFI Irish Film Archive agrees, adding: “It is a great affirmation of the standards we adopt, the open source infrastructure we have implemented and the goals we have set for ourselves. This award is a validation of all of that work.”
Finalists and winners of the Digital Preservation Awards often enjoy a greater profile, with individuals and organisations finding themselves in a much stronger position for further funding and future development.
Anna Oates, winner of the 2018 Award for the Most Distinguished Student Work in Digital Preservation agrees, adding: “Since the Digital Preservation Awards, the digital preservation community have reached out to me to learn more about and engage in their own related initiatives. I was invited as an early reviewer of the Library of Congress's Sustainability of Digital Formats guide for PDF. I attribute this visibility entirely to the Digital Preservation Coalition and their efforts to celebrate all work in digital preservation, including student research.”
Anna collects her 2018 Award for the Most Distinguished Student Work in Digital Preservation
from Laura Molloy, Oxford Internet Institute and (L) Laura Mitchell, National Records of Scotland (R)
A new category has been added this year, making six in total alongside the DPC Fellowship Award:
- *NEW* The International Council on Archives Award for Collaboration and Cooperation, celebrating significant collaboration across institutional, professional, sectoral and geographical boundaries which have had a demonstrable and positive impact on digital preservation. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
- The Software Sustainability Institute Award for Research and Innovation, which recognizes excellence in practical research and innovation activities. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
- The Dutch Digital Heritage Network Award for Teaching and Communications, recognizing excellence in outreach, training and advocacy. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
- The National Records of Scotland Award for the Most Distinguished Student Work in Digital Preservation, encouraging and recognizing student work in digital preservation. The prize includes attendance at an international conference, a trophy and a certificate.
- The National Archives UK Award for Safeguarding the Digital Legacy, which celebrates the practical application of preservation tools to protect at-risk digital objects. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
- The DPC Award for the Most Outstanding Digital Preservation Initiative in Commerce, Industry and the Third sector, encouraging and recognizing the adoption of digital preservation tools and approaches in institutions which are not explicitly memory institutions. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
The Digital Preservation Awards are made possible by the expertise and support provided by our international panel of Judges, and funding from our sponsors - information about all of whom will be released over the coming weeks.
The Digital Preservation Awards are free and open to all organisations and individuals. Enter before the deadline of 10th August 2020 and use the links below to find out more about how to apply:
- How to Apply
- Eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions
- Overview
- Schedule and Timeline
- 2018 Winners
- Roll of Honour
- Sponsorship