Practical Digital Preservation: A How-To Guide for Organizations of Any Size provides detailed information about and helpful strategies for tackling the robust and evolving world of digital preservation. The author defines digital preservation as “the process of maintaining a digital object for as long as required, in a form which is authentic, and accessible to users” (xii). The book is divided into ten chapters and includes a glossary of terms, appendixes, bibliography, and index.

The first chapter includes some practical information regarding appropriate audience, use of the book, minimum requirements for embarking on digital preservation, myths about digital preservation, a comprehensive survey covering the history of digital preservation, and some helpful hints about terminology.

In chapter 2, the author outlines strategies for building a digital preservation program and for handling challenges such as limited staffing, resources, technical infrastructure, and knowledge of project management. He argues that the first step should be securing recognition from administrators that digital preservation is important to the success of the organization. The author helps the reader in this regard by focusing this chapter on creating an effective business plan for digital preservation. Moreover, the author includes methods for discussing the financial and nonfinancial benefits of adopting and embracing a digital preservation plan. Creating a digital preservation policy and knowing the essential components therewith can be a powerful means of securing support from administrators and colleagues.

Chapter 3 provides a needs assessment for creating a well-documented, sustainable, and successful digital preservation program. The chapter focuses on the best way to develop a set of requirements, communicate with stakeholders to secure support and contribution to the program, examine other business plans and policies, and build on what the organization is already doing. Additionally, the author includes detailed information on how established requirements should be articulated and documented. The last part of the chapter highlights the application of established requirements and the best way to create an actual digital preservation program.

The fourth chapter includes many useful case studies that outline approaches to creating and implementing a digital preservation program. A range of possible options are discussed in this chapter, from in-house solutions to outsourcing; in addition the author describes why certain models are better suited to particular organizations. If an organization has already chosen an approach, this chapter would be useful to consult as it assesses the implementation process as well as the practicalities of managing a digital preservation service. Finally, the author provides information on the best way to develop a realistic roadmap to bring a digital preservation program to its optimum level of service and capacity in the future.

Chapters 5 and 6 focus on the two stages of acquiring digital content for repositories. The author describes stage one in chapter 5: “The institution makes a decision to acquire a specific collection of material, undertakes any preparatory activities, and performs the physical transfer of that material into its custody” (109). This chapter also discusses important issues that need to be addressed in advance of content transfer, as well as developing a selection policy and process for acquisition. Chapter 6 discusses stage two, accession and ingest of digital content. The author notes that in this stage “the various activities required to ensure that the transfer has been successful” occur, as well as those activities that “generate all information necessary for the preservation and future management of the content, and ingest it into the digital repository” (109).

A digital repository (or any digital record) is useless unless there are descriptive metadata attached to it. In chapter 7, the author defines metadata as “the set of information required to enable content to be discovered, managed and used by both human agents and automated systems” (155). He summarizes the importance of metadata, standards that address the descriptive information needed, how to create appropriate metadata, and how they can be managed and stored. The role metadata play in a digital repository is discussed in depth, and the author provides a set of useful case studies toward the end of the chapter. Chapter 8 examines in depth the preservation of digital content, and stresses the importance of being able to access and use digital content over the long term. The author does not deny that the preservation of digital objects is a complex issue, but he gives practical approaches to preservation techniques along with their applications.

Chapter 9 takes a close look at providing reliable access to users. The author summarizes this point by stating, “Everything we do in this regard must therefore be informed by the needs of current and future users; their requirements should dictate how we go about the business of digital preservation” (243). This chapter concentrates on what organizations need to consider when providing access to their digital content, the technical challenges associated with providing access, and the curatorial and legal responsibilities for delivering digital content to users. The last chapter of the book comments on the rapidly changing environment of digital preservation and analyzes emerging technologies and future trends. The author does a nice job of forecasting the future of digital preservation without coming across as a fortuneteller.

While the content is geared toward libraries, museums, and archives that are producing and maintaining digital content, this book would also be beneficial for professionals outside these fields. Each chapter is organized in a meaningful way, and the entire book flows with a natural progression through the complex stages of digital preservation. There is not a lot of technical jargon and the concepts outlined can be applied to small or large organizations that have a variety of assets. The author does an excellent job presenting complicated content in a digestible way, and offers useful case studies throughout the book. Practical Digital Preservation is an excellent book for anyone working with and producing digital content.