In 2022, World Digital Preservation Day was celebrated on November 3rd. To mark this date, the FCCN Unit will be highlighting this topic throughout the month. We'll start by explaining what Digital Preservation is and what important role it plays today.
According to UNESCO, Digital Preservation consists of all the processes that aim to ensure the continued access to digital materials. Considering the context we live in, marked by the high production and consumption of information and digital content, it is easy to understand how this area is especially relevant, by fulfilling the goal of ensuring the continuity of the existing digital heritage.
Thinking specifically about the online world, the volatility of digital information is clear from the following statistic: every day, millions of pages are published on the Web, and 80% of this information will disappear within a year, becoming inaccessible. Digital preservation work makes it possible to make this information accessible for consultation and analysis.
In order to raise awareness of the importance of this activity, the Digital Preservation Coalition has established World Digital Preservation Day, which is celebrated on the first Thursday of every month. The day is celebrated by digital preservation networks around the world, sharing the benefits and opportunities that arise from the work of this community. In 2022, the central theme of this celebration is "Data for All, For Good, Forever."
The FCCN Unit is part of a service that works in the area of Digital Preservation - Arquivo.pt, which has been preserving archived information from the Web since 1996. All the information collected and preserved is also processed so that it becomes searchable and accessible to any citizen. This access is provided through a search engine that allows anyone to "travel back in time" through the websites.
If you are interested in finding out more about this topic, the manager of Arquivo.pt, Daniel Gomes, has published some articles on digital preservation, highlighting, for example, its role in Open Science or the way in which it combats disinformation. You can also visit the Arquivo.pt website to find out more about this service of the Unit FCCN.
