Supporting institutional digital preservation & asset management: a summary of the Jisc DPAM programme synthesis

This article summarises the results of a recently published synthesis study on the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)-funded Digital Preservation & Asset Management (DPAM) programme. The DPAM programme ran from 2004 until 2006 and aimed to establish a basis for the development of institutional strategies and policies for long-term preservation and asset management. Eleven projects were funded by the project across three main themes: Institutional management support & collaboration; Digital asset assessment tools (DAATs); and institutional repository infrastructure development. The study found that the programme was a resounding success. Projects delivered a number of highly relevant and reusable outputs such as demonstrative shared services, survey and assessment tools, costing formulae, case studies, and a number of different training courses. Issues addressed by projects ranged from metadata, repository software and repository frameworks to business planning, life-cycle planning, legal issues and strategy development. In summarising the DPAM synthesis study, this article provides an overview of each of the funded projects and explores project outputs with regards to a selected number of recurring themes. Further themes are explored in the synthesis study itself and readers are encouraged to refer to the study for more information