Canadian Digital Information Strategy

5. Conclusions/Next Steps

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Drawing on the issues and trends discussed in the previous section, this chapter articulates some conclusions and sets out the justification and next steps for the organization of a National Summit for Digital Information in Canada. The chapter is divided into two parts: The first part addresses key conclusions that follow from an analysis of the issues and trends described earlier. The second part presents the argument for a National Summit and recommends a number of next steps for achieving this goal.

5.1 Conclusions

Organizations involved in various aspects of digital information management are facing a wide range of issues, many of which are shared across multiple and diverse sectors of society. Based on the patterns emerging from the survey, conversations with contacts in various sectors, and the authors' personal experience, knowledge, and intuitive understanding of the issues being faced by many of the organizations identified through this survey, it appears that the concern of greatest significance is that of managing digital information through time.

The management of digital information through time is a going concern, not only for libraries and archives but for all stakeholders involved in the management of digital information, including the creators. While there are challenges surrounding the creation of and access to digital information in a variety of contexts, these challenges are being addressed through the development of the underlying infrastructure supporting information creation, access, and retrieval and the establishment of models, including economic models, designed to harmonize various approaches to digital information access and retrieval. On the other hand, the challenges of preserving the growing body of digital information into the future are looming large on the horizon.

Digital information is sensitive to loss or destruction because of the fragility of the media upon which the information is recorded, its dependence on technologies that change through time, the inadequacy of the metadata required to render the information understandable, and the absence of effective accountability frameworks to ensure that the authenticity and integrity of the information is preserved for as long as required.

'People don't know what they don't have or, even worse, people don't know what they know'

Comments made by an interviewee to describe her feelings about the management of digital information within a major federal government department (i.e. the need to determine which information has longer-term value and the steps that need to be taken to ensure its preservation).

The preservation of digital information requires a management response, not just a technological response. The response must be active and sustained through time and it must address the preservation of digital information from both the strategic and tactical perspectives and within the context of the management frameworks that govern the businesses of organizations themselves. It must also be comprehensive and address all facets of the required preservation infrastructure: the policies that assign accountability, the standards, practices, procedures and technologies that enable the implementation of preservation strategies, and the people that make it all happen. These issues present a tremendous challenge and must be addressed in an inclusive and collaborative manner.

While the issues surrounding the capacity of Canadian organizations to preserve their digital information assets are becoming critical, there is room for optimism:

• Digital preservation concepts, strategies and processes are being developed and tested, and expectations are high that effective solutions will be found (but only if the relevant organizations cooperate with one another).
• Policies, standards and practices, and technologies are emerging to support the development of the comprehensive infrastructures that will be required to ensure that all facets of digital information preservation are addressed. Management frameworks that are capable of governing the tactical and strategic implementation of these frameworks are also emerging.
• The traditional stewards of digital information are beginning to work together. There is recognition that they are facing a common issue the resolution of which will require common approaches that build on the strengths that each can bring to the table.
• Awareness of the importance of digital preservation is growing outside of the traditional stewardship organizations. Creator communities are discovering that their digital information holdings have value, which can increase over time if preserved.
• As interest in digital preservation expands beyond libraries and archives, the potential for establishing powerful partnerships and bringing the issue into the mainstream is growing.
• Organizations such as Library and Archives Canada and others are prepared to step forward to offer leadership in the development of consistent and effective approaches to the preservation of digital information regardless of the sector in which it is generated.

"A strategy for digital preservation is part and parcel of any national information policy and it should be integral to any investment in digital libraries and information superhighways."

From The Preservation of Digitised Collections: An Overview of Recent Progress and Persistent Challenges Worldwide, by Marie-Thérèse Varlamoff and Sara Gould.

Despite the progress being made, it is apparent that digital preservation has not penetrated all sectors equally and capacities are lacking, particularly amongst the creators of digital information. A wide range of challenges still needs to be addressed, including the division of responsibilities, selection of material, funding, and skills development. The resolution of the issues of digital preservation will require multi-sector collaboration.

All stakeholders will need a clear understanding of the issues, the goals, and the means by which these goals can be achieved - in other words a national strategy for digital preservation must be established.

However, a national strategy will not be successful without the collaboration and input of all stakeholder communities. Steps must be taken to establish a mechanism by which a strategy can be developed. This involves a process and venue by which concerned parties can work together to establish a shared understanding of the issues and a strategic 'way forward' based on collaboration and trust. A national summit on the preservation of digital information is not only warranted, it has become a necessity.

5.2 Next Steps

The steps suggested in this section are based on the following assumptions derived from the analysis of issues and trends discussed in the previous chapter:

• The most pressing issue facing Canadian organizations with respect to the management of digital information is their ability to preserve the authenticity, accessibility, and understandability of digital information over time.
• There is a growing recognition that cross-sector, multi-disciplinary approaches are required to address a set of shared issues concerning the preservation of digital information.
• The digital preservation issues are national in scope, and therefore a national strategy, involving all concerned groups and organizations should be developed.
• A national strategy requires a mechanism to foster collaboration and commitment amongst stakeholders.

Based on these assumptions, it follows that a National Summit would be an appropriate and expedient component in the development of a National Digital Information Strategy. The following next steps are recommended for the development of such a National Summit:

1. Identify key players to serve as a planning group. This group would not necessarily be the organizing committee, but rather would be responsible for establishing the objectives, scope and outcomes of a National Summit for Digital Information, as well as how it should be organized and who should organize it, etc.
2. Organize consultation sessions with relevant sectors to confirm the objectives and agenda for the Summit.
3. Publicize the National Summit widely, including the objectives, scope and agenda, to ensure that all sectors involved in digital information are aware of and have an opportunity to contribute.
4. Consider organizing pre-summit workshops on issues that might be raised at the Summit.
5. Consider organizing a two-part summit similar to the approach adopted for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Such an approach would respect the breadth and depth of stakeholder interests in digital information and the wide range of issues associated with its creation, access and preservation. The first part would enable diverse groups to understand the digital information landscape and identify and confirm the critical multi-disciplinary, multi-sector issues. The second part, held perhaps held a year later, would focus on the establishment of a framework and plan for the development of a national digital information strategy. Inter-disciplinary and inter-sector workshops could be held between the first and second parts of the 'summit'. These would build on the results of the first part and set the stage for the agenda and outcomes established for the second part.
6. Consider establishing a network similar to the model established by ERPANET. ERPANET was successful in serving as a virtual clearinghouse and knowledge-base that focused on the preservation of cultural heritage and scientific digital objects. The dominant feature of ERPANET was the exchange of knowledge on state-of-the-art developments in digital preservation and the transfer of expertise among individuals and institutions. It also provided commentaries on recent publications, articles, etc., and case studies in organizations. The network could be established as a result of the National Summit and could be a valuable instrument in advancing the proposed national strategy.

Although objectives for a National Summit will ultimately be determined by stakeholders, participants may want to consider adopting the following objectives:

• To enhance awareness of the importance of digital preservation.
• To establish a shared understanding of the issues facing organizations involved in the management of digital information.
• To identify the requirements for and components of a National Digital Information Strategy.
• To determine the steps for developing a National Digital Information Strategy.

Some possible topics to be covered in a National Summit are outlined below:

• What are the key issues involved in the management of digital information?
• What is the nature of the current digital information landscape and from which perspective(s) should it be defined?
• Do we need a vision for digital information in Canada, and if so, what should that be?
• Given where we are now, what are the activities involved in achieving this vision?
• Who should be involved?
• What are the immediate next steps to be taken?

The stakeholders involved in the management of digital information are many and varied and it is not possible to include all stakeholders in a planning group for a National Summit. Based on the review of digital initiatives conducted for this report, and an identification of the emerging patterns, it is proposed that the planning group for the National Summit comprise individuals representing a wide range of organization types as well as a broad spectrum of professional disciplines that have a specific interest in or concern about the preservation and ongoing accessibility of digital information. A number of these same individuals and organizations should also be considered as participants in the Summit itself. Collectively, they will ensure that Canadians benefit from a National Digital Information Strategy that is comprehensive in scope and dedicated to enabling the on-going availability of Canada's documentary heritage in digital form.

Appendix A

List of Key Digital Initiatives

Open Journal System
Our Roots
Management of Government Information Policy (2003)
Canadian Health Network
CANARIE
Digital Preservation for Museums: Recommendations
Canadian Research Knowledge Network
NRC Research Press
Creative Commons Licences
Culture.ca
Atlas of Canada
Internet Archive's Library Digitization Project
Digital Cultural Content Forum
Stewardship of Scholarly Resources in a Digital World - A CARL Position Statement
Canadian Initiative on Digital Libraries
Multicultural Canada Project
International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES) 2 Project
CoRIMedia
Érudit
University of New Brunswick Electronic Text Centre
International Consortium for the Advancement of Academic Publishing
Depository Services Program E-collection
EduSource Canada
CISTI Source
Federal Science eLibrary
Internet Archive Wayback Machine
CARL Institutional Repository Project
Theses Canada
Canadian Heritage Information Network
Virtual Museum of Canada
Canada-France Archives
Early Canadiana Online
Digital Copyright Licences
Canadian Copyright Act
World Intellectual Property Organization
Canadian Electronic Library
CBC Archives
SchoolNet
EduSpecs
Canada's Digital Collections
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
Canadian Internet Registration Authority
Electronic Collection: A Virtual Collection of Monographs and Periodicals
Ontario Scholars Portal
BC Electronic Library Network
Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries
Alberta Library
eLibrary Canada
Communications Research Centre Canada
Canadian Newstand
Canadian Business and Current Affairs
Canadian Research Index
Images Canada
Canadian Century Research Infrastructure
e-Content Institute
Canadian Newswire
OnDisC
International Internet Preservation Consortium
HearsayMusic.ca
Bibliotheque National Quebec-Enregistremments sonores
Globe and Mail: Canada's Heritage from 1844
Paper of Record
Scholars Portal
reSearcher
Cinéroute
Alberta Heritage Digitization Project
Repère
High Wire Press
UTP Online
Canadian Medical Association Journals
JSTOR
Text Analysis Portal for Research (TAPoR)
Canadian Soil Information System
GCMS (Global Case Management System)
Meteorological Service of Canada
Passport on-line
Marine Environment Data Service
PRISM
Geo-Portal
Youth Café
Executive Correspondence Management System (ECMS)
NewsDesk
Land Negotiations Records
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing
Geological Survey of Canada
Energy, Mines and Metals Information Centre
Canadian Criminal Records Information Services
Our Missing Children Database
Civil Aviation Registration System
Information Management Community Development Initiative
Veterans Registration Database
Vanmap
Vancouver City: Licenses and Inspections
Strategis
Life Sciences Gateway
School for Library, Archives and Information Science
University of Manitoba: Archives Course Program
University of Toronto: Faculty of Information Studies
Université de Montréal: EBSI
Canada's Digital Collections
National Land & Water Information System
Land Status Automated System (LSAS)
The Information Management Forum
The Knowledge Management Forum
Canadian Health Infoway
Alliance of Libraries, Archives and Records Management (ALARM)
Government and Technology Week
Association of Public Sector Information Professionals
Centre For Health Evidence
Canadian Health Information Association
Association of Canadian Archivists
Council of Federal Libraries
The Entertainment Software Association of Canada

Appendix B

Database Design
(Access-generated DB design specs to be included)

Category I: Content Managers

1. Name of the organization
2. Title of the initiative
3. Sector (government, academic, commercial, etc.)
4. Information activity (creation, access, or preservation)
5. Type of initiative (Content manager, service provider, infrastructure, leadership)
6. Description:
   6.1 Subject matter of digital content.
   6.2 Type of digital content (statistical data, documents/records, images, video, 3D, GIS).
   6.3 Time frame covered by the content.
   6.4 Content jurisdiction (Canadian, non-Canadian, mix).
   6.5 Purpose of the initiative/organization.
   6.6 Current status (planned, underway, completed).
   6.7 Geographic location (local, provincial, federal, regional, inter- jurisdictional, nation-wide).
   6.8 Time frame of the initiative (i.e. how long underway).
7. Funding source(s)
8. Issues and opportunities being addressed by the initiative/organization.
9. Intended users or audience for the initiative/organization.
10. Relevant contact information: name, address, website, email

Category II: Service Providers

1. Name of the organization
2. Title of the initiative
3. Sector (government, academic, commercial, etc.)
4. Information activity (creation, access, or preservation)
5. Type of initiative (Content manager, service provider, infrastructure, leadership)
6. Description:
   6.1 Type of digital content targeted by service
   6.2 Purpose of the initiative/organization
   6.3 Current status (planned, underway, completed)
   6.4 Geographic location (local, provincial, federal, regional, inter-jurisdictional, nation-wide
   6.5 Time frame of the initiative (i.e. how long underway)
7. Funding source(s)
8. Issues and opportunities being addressed by the organization
9. Intended users or audience for the organization
10. Relevant contact information: name, address, website, email

Category III: Infrastructure Initiatives

1. Name of the organization.
2. Title of the initiative
3. Sector (government, academic, commercial, etc.)
4. Information activity (creation, access, or preservation)
5. Type of initiative (Content manager, service provider, infrastructure (laws and policies, standards and practices, technological infrastructure, education and training, research and development, human development), leadership
6. Description:
   6.1 Type of digital content supported by the initiative
   6.2 Purpose of the initiative
   6.3 Current status (planned, underway, completed)
   6.4 Geographic location (local, provincial, federal, regional, inter-jurisdictional, nation-wide)
   6.5 Time frame of the initiative (i.e. how long underway)
7. Funding source(s)
8. Issues and opportunities being addressed by the initiative/organization.
9. Intended users or audience for the initiative/organization.
10. Relevant contact information: name, address, website, email.

Category IV: Leadership Organizations

1. Name of the organization
2. Title of the initiative (if applicable)
3. Sector (government, academic, commercial, etc.)
4. Information activity (creation, access, or preservation)
5. Type of initiative: content manager, service provider, infrastructure, leadership
6. Description of initiative
   6.1 Description of leadership role
   6.2 Purpose of organization
   6.3 Current status
   6.4 Geographic location
   6.5 Time frame of the initiative
7. Funding source(s)
8. Issues and opportunities being addressed by the initiative/organization.
9. Intended users or audience for the initiative/organization.
10. Relevant contact information: name, address, website, email.

Footnotes:

1. Statistics Canada. (2000). 2000 Survey of Service Industries: Surveying and Mapping, North American Industrial Classification Systems (NAICS) codes 54136 and 54137.

2. Much of the information in this section was derived from, "Management and Preservation of Geospatial Data", by David Brown, Library and Archives Canada, April, 2004.

3. see, "Plenty of Room at the Bottom? Personal Digital Libraries and Collections, Neil Beagrie, D-Lib Magazine, June 2005, Volume 11 Number 6.

4. An exception might be in certain parts of the private sector where the point has been made that records management is such an integral part of the business of the organization that it is not treated as a separate entity but rather as an integrated component within the design and development of application systems.

5. Rare examples are the ½ day workshop on developing digital preservation strategies which is being offered by Verny Inc. on September 16th in Ottawa and the 2 day 'traveling' workshop on digital preservation which is offered by Cornell University.

6. The information in this section was based on a presentation by Sandy Foote as delivered to the participants in the CIDA-sponsored Strtaegic Information Management Program, September, 2005.

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