2019-03, Lurk, Tabea, Enge, Jürgen

The paper introduces TBBS (The Boring BagIT Store) a tool for the distributed storage of digital data and cultural assets. TBBS responds to at least three requirements that smaller and medium size cultural institutions face to ensure the permanent storage and custody of their digital cultural assets: a) secure (encrypted) storage of archival data packages; b) distributed (asynchronous) storage, with possibly varying storage qualities; and c) easy to use storage administration with reasonable monitoring options. After a short introduction to the collection portfolio of the House of Electronic Arts Basel (HeK), which serves as a descriptive example for the determination of some of the standard requirements of TBBS, the article outlines the sub-elements of TBBS. The text starts with the GENERAL REPORT as a visible result of TBBS and then goes back step by step explaining the individual elements, technologies used and procedures.

2016-10-03, Enge, Jürgen, Kramski, Heinz Werner

Based on the example of Friedrich Kittler’s digital papers at the Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach (DLA), this paper explores digital estates and their challenges on different logical levels within the pre-archival analysis, documentation and indexing process. As opposed to long-term digital preservation procedures, which are set about afterwards when relevant digital objects have already been identified, this process starts shortly after physical material (computers, hard drives, disks…) is delivered to the archive and has been ingested and safeguarded into volume image files. In this situation, it is important to get an overview of the “current state”: Which data was delivered (amount, formats, duplicates, versions)? What is the legal status of the stored data? Which digital objects are relevant and should be accessible for which types of users/researchers etc.? What kind of contextual knowledge needs to be preserved for the future? In order to address these questions and to assign meaning to both technological and documentation needs, the digital analysis tool “Indexer” was developed. It combines automated routines with human interaction features, thereby completing the necessary toolset for processing unstructured digital estates. It turns out however, that intellectual work and deep knowledge of the collection context still play an important role and must work hand in hand with the new automation efforts.