<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:v = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16525" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE>@font-face { font-family: Wingdings; } @font-face { font-family: Cambria Math; } @font-face { font-family: Arial Unicode MS; } @font-face { font-family: Tahoma; } @font-face { font-family: Book Antiqua; } @font-face { font-family: @Arial Unicode MS; } @page Section1 {size: 595.3pt 841.9pt; margin: 72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; } P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif" } LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif" } DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif" } A:link { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.MsoHyperlink { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } A:visited { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } P { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0cm; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0cm; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto } P.F7Heading { FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 13pt; MARGIN: 4pt 0cm 8pt 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-style-name: "F7 Heading" } LI.F7Heading { FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 13pt; MARGIN: 4pt 0cm 8pt 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-style-name: "F7 Heading" } DIV.F7Heading { FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 13pt; MARGIN: 4pt 0cm 8pt 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-style-name: "F7 Heading" } SPAN.EmailStyle19 { COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-style-type: personal-compose } .MsoChpDefault { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-style-type: export-only } DIV.Section1 { page: Section1 } OL { MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm } UL { MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm } </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue> <DIV dir=ltr align=left>See the attached award announcement.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV align=left>Cheerio, Henry</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> <HR tabIndex=-1> From: Carol Jackson [mailto:carol@dpconline.org] Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 4:48 PM To: diglib@infoserv.inist.fr Subject: [DIGLIB] 2007 Digital Preservation Award Winner Announced </DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <o:p> </o:p> Accolade for new tool to save digital archives for future generations<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> An innovative tool to analyse and identify computer file formats has won the 2007 Digital Preservation Award. DROID, developed by The National Archives in London, can examine any mystery file and identify its format. The tool works by gathering clues from the internal 'signatures' hidden inside every computer file, as well as more familiar elements such as the filename extension (.jpg, for example), to generate a highly accurate 'guess' about the software that will be needed to read the file.<o:p></o:p> Identifying file formats is a thorny issue for archivists. Organisations such as the National Archives have an ever-increasing volume of electronic records in their custody, many of which will be crucial for future historians to understand 21st-century Britain. But with rapidly changing technology and an unpredictable hardware base, preserving files is only half of the challenge. There is no guarantee that today's files will be readable or even recognisable using the software of the future.<o:p></o:p> Now, by using DROID and its big brother, the unique file format database known as PRONOM, experts at the National Archives are well on their way to cracking the problem. Once DROID has labelled a mystery file, PRONOM's extensive catalogue of software tools can advise curators on how best to preserve the file in a readable format. The database includes crucial information on software and hardware lifecycles, helping to avoid the obsolescence problem. And it will alert users if the program needed to read a file is no longer supported by manufacturers.<o:p></o:p> PRONOM's system of identifiers has been adopted by the UK government and is the only nationally-recognised standard in its field.<o:p></o:p> The judges chose The National Archives from a strong shortlist of five contenders, whittled down from the original list of thirteen. The prestigious award was presented in a special ceremony at The British Museum on 27 September 2007 as part of the 2007 Conservation Awards, sponsored by Sir Paul McCartney.<o:p></o:p> Ronald Milne, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Digital Preservation Coalition, which sponsors the award, said:<o:p></o:p> "The National Archives fully deserves the recognition that accompanies this award."<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Notes to Editors;<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0cm" type=square> <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3">The Ł5000 Digital Preservation Award is sponsored by the Digital Preservation Coalition. This prestigious award recognises achievement and encourages innovation in the new and challenging field of digital preservation - simply put; preserving things whose very existence depends on computers.<o:p></o:p> <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3">The Digital Preservation Coalition was established in 2001 to foster joint action to address the urgent challenges of securing the preservation of digital resources in the UK and to work with others internationally to secure our global digital memory and knowledge base. For further information, see <A href="http://www.dpconline.org">www.dpconline.org</A><o:p></o:p> <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3">The Conservation Awards are the UK's leading awards for the preservation of cultural heritage. They are sponsored by Sir Paul McCartney and supported by key organisations in conservation and collections care: the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), English Heritage, the Institute of Conservation (Icon), the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) and the National Preservation Office (NPO). <o:p></o:p> <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3">For more information on the other short listed partnerships, see <A href="http://www.conservationawards.org.uk">www.conservationawards.org.uk</A><o:p></o:p> <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3">Details of the 2007 judges are available online at <A href="http://www.dpconline.org/graphics/awards/2007panel.html">www.dpconline.org/graphics/awards/2007panel.html</A> <o:p></o:p> <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3">The National Archives is at the heart of information policy - setting standards and supporting innovation in information and records management across the UK, and providing a practical framework of best practice for opening up and encouraging the re-use of public sector information. This work helps inform today´s decisions and ensure that they become tomorrow´s permanent record. The National Archives is also the official archive for England, Wales and the central UK government, containing 900 years of history from Domesday Book to the present, with records ranging from parchment and paper scrolls through to recently created digital files and archived websites. Increasingly, these records are being put online, making them universally accessible. For more information, see <A href="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/">www.nationalarchives.gov.uk</A><o:p></o:p> </LI></UL> <o:p> </o:p> The 2007 Judging Panel were;<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Kevin Ashley (Chair of the Judging Panel), Head of Digital Archives Department, University of London Computer Centre.<o:p></o:p> Michael Day, Research Officer at UKOLN, University of Bath.<o:p></o:p> Helen Hockx-Yu, Programme Manager, Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC).<o:p></o:p> William Kilbride, Research Manager, Glasgow Museums.<o:p></o:p> Andreas Rauber, Associate Professor, Department of Software Technology and Interactive Systems (IFS), The Vienna University of Technology.<o:p></o:p> Chris Rusbridge, Director, Digital Curation Centre (DCC).<o:p></o:p> Helen Shenton, Head of Collection Care, the British Library.<o:p></o:p> Dave Thompson, Digital Curator, Wellcome Library.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> For further information about the DPC and the Digital Preservation Award contact Carol Jackson on 01904 435 362.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> From the DPC Press Release; <A href="http://www.dpconline.org/graphics/advocacy/press/award2007.html">http://www.dpconline.org/graphics/advocacy/press/award2007.html</A><o:p></o:p> *************************************************************************************************************************************<o:p></o:p> Carol Jackson Administration Manager Digital Preservation Coalition Innovation Centre York Science Park Heslington YO10 5DG e-mail: <A href="mailto:carol@dpconline.org">carol@dpconline.org</A> tel: +44 (0) 1904 435 362 https: <A href="http://www.dpconline.org">www.dpconline.org</A> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>