Building Digital Archives in the

Corporate World

Kara Plamann WagonerLIS 615

May 4, 2014

Can a company really sort through its past records?

It is a challenge, but a librarian can help.

How It Works

One of my dreams is to work as an independent consultant, assisting businesses with their records. As a former administrator at an

engineering firm, I know how essential it is to have maps and prints in their proper place, documentation of important contracts, and verification of completed projects. For these

preservation issues, a digital repository created by a trained librarian is appropriate.

What is a Repository?According to DuraSpace, it is all of the following:

✓A Digital “Archives” System

✓A Long-Term Storage Solution

✓A Preservation Tool

✓A Gateway to Access Completed Content

✓An Adherent to Library Best Practices (Hence the need for a trained professional)

Why Choose a Repository?Benefits (According to DuraSpace Once Again):

Integrates with Other Tools, e.g.: Anti-Virus Software

Provides Persistent URLS (Permanent Access)

Preserves Items Long-Term

Accesses Completed/Published Works

A Company’s Need for a Digital Repository

To Create a System to Gain Efficiency and Increase Profitability

To Have Accessibility to Essential Documents Anytime, Anywhere, No Matter Who Has Come & Gone

To Avoid Information Silos Between Groups and Remote Offices

The Librarian’s Steps in the Process

1. Examine laws and speak to employees about what needs to be saved.

2. Properly dispose of unnecessary items.

3. Implement a long-term process that is sustainable.

Points of Consideration: Collaboration

To create digital repositories in an engineering firm, I would need to work with others:

Attorney: If I have questions about laws, permitting, etc., I may need to speak to a lawyer about my options to avoid any rule violations.

A Fellow Librarian: Undertaking a project like this would be better with a partner in order to provide the most cohesive solution to the client.

Points of Consideration: Audience

If I were to assist an engineering firm, I would work with its employees at two key points in the process:

Beginning: Someone has to give the project the “go-ahead.” It may vary from location to location. For example, is it a project manager, the head administrator? How does a consultant find the answer?

End: In order to make the repository sustainable long-term, I would train administrators on the basics of adding new records and maintaining what was created.

Points of Consideration: Financing

How much would a project like this cost? What is a fair price to charge?

With rules of confidentiality, it is difficult to gauge what a consultant would charge to “clean up” a company’s archives. Some options to discover these answers and find models may include more internet digging and also conferring with a corporate librarian to see how much he or she could share.

Parting Thoughts

Although it can be challenging for a librarian fresh out of grad school to think about consulting, there are opportunities as

digitization and a need to manage content continue to increase.*

*http://www.economist.com/node/21553410 Digital Archiving: History Flushed