Symposium

Register today for Creating a Blueprint for Accessible Digital Preservation: Learnings from the Michigan Digital Preservation Network’s IMLS Grant Activities, a Symposium happening March 26 at the Library of Michigan! The MDPN welcomes attendance by network members, grant collaborators, and anyone interested in learning more about the MDPN’s collaborative approach to making digital preservation easy for non-technical users. Space is limited, so don’t delay

Funds to support travel to the symposium are available through the MDPN with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Attendees can apply for funds via the Financial Assistance Form. While MDPN members and symposium presenters will receive priority funding, this opportunity is open to all attendees.

Symposium Schedule

9:00am-
9:30am

Registration & Morning Coffee Mingle

Join fellow attendees for coffee and mini donuts provided by Strange Matter Coffee, a Lansing-based, woman-owned business that supports several community initiatives, including Salus Center, Greater Lansing Food Bank, and Justice League of Greater Lansing.

9:30am-
10:00am

Welcoming Remarks & an Introduction to the MDPN’s Implementation Toolkit

Michelle Bradley (Library of Michigan), Scott Garrison (MCLS), Chelsea Denault (MDPN)

Interim State Librarian, Michelle Bradley, and MCLS Executive Director, Scott Garrison, will welcome attendees to the symposium. Following these remarks, MDPN Coordinator will introduce attendees to the MDPN’s primary grant deliverable, The Statewide/Regional LOCKSS 2.0 Digital Preservation Network Implementation Toolkit.

10:00am-
10:15am

DART in Action: The Digital Archivist’s Resource Tool

Melissa Iori (AP Trust)

Melissa Iori, Lead Developer at APTrust, will provide an overview and demo of DART, a free-to-use graphical packaging and upload tool that greatly simplifies preservation activities for users of all skill levels.

10:15am-
10:30am

LOCKSS: A Lightning Talk

Thib Guicherd-Callin (LOCKSS Program)

Thib Guicherd-Callin, Chief Technology Officer at the LOCKSS Program, will provide a brief overview of the LOCKSS software and how it supports the MDPN’s preservation actions.

10:30am-
11:15am

Insights from the MDPN’s Technical Implementation

Paul Gallagher (Western Michigan University), Scott Morey (Traverse Area District Library), Sophie Steiner (Capital Area District Libraries), Thib Guicherd-Callin (LOCKSS Program)

Three MDPN preservation server hosts and representatives from the LOCKSS Program will reflect on lessons learned, challenges, and benefits in the technical implementation of the MDPN’s preservation network. Topics include host recruitment and support, hardware procurement, software deployment, ongoing technical support, and learning how to work together as a team at six different sites across Michigan and California.

11:30am-
12:15pm

A Tale of Two Collections: MDPN Storage Grant Recipients

Hilary Maurin (Rochester Hills Public Library), Rachel Stock (Sloan Museum of Discovery)

In this session, Hilary and Rachel will discuss the process of being grant recipients. They will touch on the unique needs of their at-risk collections, provide details of the grant process, and share their workflows for transferring content. They plan to leave plenty of room for questions.

12:15pm-
1:15pm

Lunch

Sandwiches, sides, desserts, and beverages provided by The Hummingbird, a Lansing-based, woman-owned business that supports efforts to combat food insecurity in our community through contributions to the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Vegetarian and vegan options will be provided.

1:30pm-
2:15pm

Marco? Polo? Where we are in the process of integrating MDPN in our preservation workflows

Alexis Braun Marks (Eastern Michigan University), Brook Boyst (Eastern Michigan University), Heidi Butler (Capital Area District Libraries), Paul Gallagher (Western Michigan University)

As the Michigan Digital Preservation Network (MDPN) has gone live with the LOCKSS network in the past year, how institutions are incorporating MDPN in their preservation workflows varies widely. Moderated by Alexis Braun Marks, this panel of practitioners will present the good, the bad, and the ugly of starting new workflows with materials that cannot languish on the shelves until we have more time. Digital preservation is only one aspect of the work our panelists do for their institutions and so their presentation will speak to their experiences implementing workflows related to digital preservation and working with the MDPN, all while tackling their other responsibilities. Heidi Butler from the Capital Area District Library will speak to her role as the steward of digital collections from a variety of local institutions and how that has accelerated her use of the LOCKSS network. Heidi has been developing in-house workflows and tracking on an “as we go” basis, as well as working to stay aware of their role as a shared node host with MSU, though most of that work is handled by CADL IT staff. Brooke Boyst from Eastern Michigan University Archives will present on how the EMUA jumped right into the deep end, only to realize they were in need of policies and procedures to make the most of their 2TB of storage as node hosts. Along with the creation of a formal policy, moving back to the shallow end meant a conversation regarding how to pull materials back out of LOCKSS. Finally, Paul Gallagher will share the experience of Western Michigan University and the methodical approach they have taken to creating policy documentation before depositing materials into the LOCKSS network. WMU is leveraging MDPN consulting to develop a new suite of services based out of its archival mission, to develop both technical workflows for existing and newly accessioned materials. This pilot partnership with MDPN consulting will develop a new suite of archival services, focusing on both existing materials as well as planning to increase its role as a digital archive for the campus and served community. The hope for this presentation is to empower attendees to know that digital preservation is possible regardless of the approach and to provide ample time for Q & A about our work and/or working with the MDPN.

2:15pm-
3:00pm

Governance in Formation and Practice

Chelsea Denault (MDPN), Biz Gallo (Library of Michigan), Sarah Mainville (Michigan State University)

Panelists from the MDPN’s four Committees – Advisory, Governance, Membership, and Technical – will reflect on creating the Network’s governing structure and how serving on Committees gave them an opportunity to help shape the community.

3:15pm-
4:00pm

What’s Next? The Future of MDPN’s Learnings

Chelsea Denault (MDPN), Meghan Frazer (LOCKSS Program), Alyssa Pierce (GINKONet/Case Western University), Penelope Shumaker (State Library of Ohio)

Panelists will share background information about their respective projects or organizations and insights from how MDPN’s grant learnings impacted their own work in community-centered digital preservation.