A briefing paper by Amir Bernstein, Swiss Federal Archives published.

Most administrative records are stored in databases. Today’s challenge is preserving the information and making it accessible for years to come, ensuring knowledge-transfer as well as administrative sustainability. Lack of standardization has hitherto rendered the task of archiving database content highly complex. The Swiss Federal Archives have developed a new XML based format which permits long-term preservation of the relational databases content. The Software-Independent Archiving of Relational Databases (short: SIARD) offers a unique solution for preserving data content, metadata as well as the relations in an ISO conform format. see the paper in pdf

DPE/Planets/CASPAR/nestor are hosting a 'WePreserve' Forum on the preservation of digital contents on the 17th of October 2008 to operate in conjunction with the DPE/Planets/CASPAR/nestor Joint Training Event: Starting out: Preserving Digital Objects - Principles and Practice. Participants in the Forum will have the opportunity to hear presentations from prominent specialists in the field of digital preservation who will also be available throughout the event for discussions. More Info and Registration here

This training event will introduce participants to a number of key digital preservation principles and provide them with an opportunity to apply this knowledge through a number of practical, hands-on exercises.

Programme
This intensive training programme will consist of three days access to on-line pre-course training, 8 half day sessions in a face to face setting, a Forum and access to three days of on-line post-course training. Expert lecturers will lead each session and most will be available through the whole week for further discussion.

Register for the event today. Registration costs 250Euros.
A discounted rate of 100Euros is available for members of the DPE community and WePreserve consortium members.


For more information and to register for this event visit this site.