Guidelines & Resources for Digital Preservation at the CSU Libraries

The volume of unique digital assets that need to be managed and preserved by the California State University (CSU) Libraries has increased exponentially over the last decade, a trend that is likely to continue in the years ahead. While some CSU campus libraries have implemented tools such as digital asset management systems (DAMS) to gain greater control and management over their digital assets, many campuses still lack access to a DAMS and the management functions they support. Furthermore, many of the DAMS solutions currently in-use simply back-up data (to local servers or the cloud), which does not constitute a long-term digital preservation solution. There are many simple actions that can be taken to help safeguard digital assets in the absence of a fully-functioning digital preservation program and/or platform. The recommendations presented in this paper are designed to assist the CSU Libraries in advancing digital preservation efforts at the systemwide level