The National Archives of Ireland has joined the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), a group which aims to help its members to deliver resilient long-term access to content and services.
The core mission of the National Archives is to collect, manage, and preserve the public record of Ireland and ensure its long-term availability as a research resource and to underpin citizens’ rights.
The long-term availability of the public record is considered a demonstrable feature of transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
"Joining the DPC will enable the National Archives to address matters such as the capture, curation and preservation of the public record which is increasingly generated in electronic format," said John McDonough, Director of the National Archives.
"The National Archives will be able to leverage experience, technical knowledge and policy development from among the members of the DPC. Membership will ensure the National Archives is better placed to meet the significant challenges it faces in this area."
Existing members of the DPC include the National Library of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, the Royal Irish Academy, and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. It is hoped that the DPC will build towards a critical mass of institutions in Ireland concerned with the growing proliferation of cultural and administrative material in digital or electronic form and the need to take steps towards its ongoing preservation and access.