Preserving the Collection
How can you keep the collection safe for future generations?

Steps to Success: At the Event

STEP 1

Conduct a Mid-Day Backup from Copying Stations to the Event Hard Drive.

At mid-point during your event, the Digital Preservation Specialist will work with the Collection Coordinator and/or Copying Station Captain to back up collected digital files from each Copying Station computer using the portable Event Hard Drive. Just imagine reaching the end of the event and having something go wrong with one of the computers; you could risk losing the digital copies of the unique Items the Contributors brought to your event!

Using the folder structure that you added to the Event Hard Drive in the Before the Event section of this module, you will backup all digital items from the Copying Station 1 computer’s event folder to the Copying Station 1 subfolder in the Copying Backup1 Mid-Day folder.

  • Download a workflow (as MS Word or PDF document) for using TeraCopy to copy files from the event folder on your Copying Station 1 computer to the Copying Station 1 subfolder in the Copying Backup1 Mid-Day folder on your Event Hard Drive.

STEP 2

Conduct an End-of-Day Backup from Copying Stations to the Event Hard Drive.

After the event is closed to the public, the Digital Preservation Specialist will work with the Collection Coordinator and/or Copying Station Captain to do a final backup of collected digital files from each Copying Station computer to the Event Hard Drive.

Using the folder structure that you added to the Event Hard Drive in the Before the Event section of this module, you will backup all digital items from the Copying Station 1 computer’s event folder to the Copying Station 1 subfolder in the Copying Backup2 End-of-Day folder.

  • Download a workflow (as MS Word or PDF document) for using TeraCopy to copy files from the event folder on your Copying Station 1 computer to the Copying Station 1 folder in the Copying Backup2 End-of-Day folder on your Event Hard Drive.

It’s only after completing these essential backups that the Digital Preservation Specialist can inform the Copying Station Captain that the computers can be fully shut down for the day. 

STEP 3

Store the Event Hard Drive.

After the event, the Digital Preservation Specialist may need to store the Event Hard Drive for a period of time before they’re able to begin digital preservation activities. 

If the event is being held at the Digital Preservation Specialist’s own library or organization’s location, they can store the Event Hard Drive in their office or another secure location. If the event is hosted off site, the Digital Preservation Specialist will be responsible for keeping the Event Hard Drive until digital preservation activities can commence.

STEP 4

Gather and store the completed Event Registration and Permission Forms from the Welcome Station Captain.

After the event is closed to the public, the Digital Preservation Specialist will work with the Welcome Station Captain to gather the completed Event Registration and Permission Forms. The Digital Preservation Specialist will hold onto the forms for safekeeping until the collection is processed.

If the event is being held at the Digital Preservation Specialist’s own library or organization’s location, they can store the files in their office. If the event is hosted off site, the Digital Preservation Specialist will be responsible for keeping the completed forms secure.

STEP 5

Gather and store the completed Descriptive Information Forms from the Copying Station Captain.

After the event is closed to the public, the Digital Preservation Specialist will work with the Copying Station Captain to gather the completed Description Information Forms from each Copying Station table. The Digital Preservation Specialist will hold onto the forms for safekeeping until the collection is processed. 

If the event is being held at the Digital Preservation Specialist’s own library or organization’s location, they can store the files in their office. If the event is hosted off site, the Digital Preservation Specialist will be responsible for keeping the completed forms secure.