Future Proof – Protecting our digital future

June 9 is International Archives Day. Established by the International Council on Archives as a way to draw attention to the importance of archives and recordkeeping in society, International Archives Day is being marked today by National, State and other archival institutions all over the world.

To celebrate International Archives Day, Future Proof’s sister blog, Archives Outside, is highlighting six diverse archival collections from all around New South Wales, from the Australian Country Music Federation to the Sydney Grammar School archives. Read about them at: http://archivesoutside.records.nsw.gov.au/international-archives-day-9-june-2010/

As our contribution, we thought it would be interesting to showcase some significant digital archives collections from around the world:

The National Archives of the United Kingdom- JN 4: Records of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, 1994-2000. Maintained in Electronic Records Online, the pilot presentation of TNA’s digital collection

This series contains records of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, originally held in JN 3, which were transferred to this series as part of the programme of migration of digital records at The National Archives in March 2008. The Committee on Standards in Public Life published the Reports and Evidence on CD-ROM starting with the Fifth Report (The Funding of Political Parties in the United Kingdom). This series contains these and other digital records of the committee, including agendas, case studies, minutes, operational notes, papers, transcripts of press conferences, press notices, reports and transcripts of hearings.

National Archives and Records Administration (US), National Institute of Health, Record Group 443, National Collaborative Perinatal Project, 1959-1974

The NCPP data constitute an important resource for biomedical and behavioral research in many areas of obstetrics, perinatology, pediatrics, and developmental psychology. The data also provide a prospective base for examining neurological and neurosensory defects and the relationship of pregnancy and perinatal factors on the health of individual children.

The National Archives of the United Kingdom, The National Digital Archive of Datasets – CRDA/19: HM Customs and Excise, Beer duty system

The Beer Duty dataset is a record of beer duty paid in the United Kingdom under the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979. Brewers are required to have a brewer’s licence and to pay licence duty according to the amount of beer produced. The dataset also lists those who are exempt from paying beer duty.
photo credit: {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}

Maintaining digital records as archives is one of the most significant challenges for archives today; as is the creation and management of accessible and authentic digital records for organisations.  State Records’ Future Proof strategy is all about equipping both the archive and government organisations with the tools to meet these challenges.