Help save the digital world! Be part of UCT's solution

World Digital Preservation Day is on the 7 November 2019 and UCT Libraries would like to invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on what Digital Preservation means.

This year’s theme ‘At Risk Materials’ raises the question of what happens to those digital objects that we create every day and how can we keep them safe?

Register Today!

Photo credit: Niklas Zimmer

Did you know that a 15th-century map is likely to exist longer than a film made in the 1950s, while you will definitely outlive the photos you take on your phone?

UCT Libraries, through Digital Library Services and Special Collections now have the means to convert formats which your computer can’t read, and those old tapes and disks that are lying in a cupboard?

We also have staff who can support you, to ensure the long-term access to and preservation of digital research materials. Recently, we have launched a beta version of our new UCT preservation platform called Izolo, which is powered by Arkivum Perpetua. Perpetua is a standards-based platform for preserving the institution’s long-term access to trustworthy, authentic and reliable digital content.

Is this a familiar sight? Photo credit: Nicholas Lindenberg

Be part of the solution to Digital preservation!

Have you ever wondered what happens to the thousands of images we take with our smart phones and share on social media platforms every day - where do they go and how do we know how to get them back if the site goes down or you no longer subscribe to the platform?

In the years to come, we will have no one to hold accountable for all the memories being either lost forever or locked behind a paywall. World Digital Preservation day asks us to ponder on all these issues.

Remember to come to our lunchtime session on 7 November and learn more about Digital Preservation. Our event will feature a talk by Digital Library Services Manager, Niklas Zimmer, entitled "Digital Preservation: Moving Beyond Backup"