Why Every Organisation Needs a Digital Preservation Strategy

Organisations are creating more information than ever before, across every part of their operations.  Some of this information may only be needed short term but some has much longer-term value.  Despite this, many organisations lack a clear digital preservation strategy to protect valuable and critical records and information for the future. 

Without proper planning, valuable digital assets are at risk of being lost.  The rapid changes in technology systems that we are seeing today, the movement of information between technology platforms, means there is a high risk of loss of information through technology obsolescence and loss of metadata and contextual understanding of information that is key for future users of the information.  Building a sustainable approach to digital preservation is now essential for every organisation that values its information assets.  

Without careful planning, digital assets can easily be lost.  Rapid technological changes and frequent transitions between platforms increase the risk of information loss due to obsolescence, missing metadata, and loss of contextual understanding, which is crucial for future users of the information.  Establishing a sustainable digital preservation strategy is essential for organisations that value their information assets. 

Why Digital Preservation is Essential 

As Information and Records Managers, we understand the importance of: 

• Retaining many types of information assets for extended periods or permanently 

• Educating users, stakeholders, and cross-disciplinary teams to build a strong information culture 

• Collaborating with IT and information governance teams to leverage expertise 

• Creating and applying metadata standards to maintain the authenticity and accessibility of information over time 

• Managing risks such as outdated file formats, failing storage media and information held in legacy systems. 

• Using standard file formats and recognised frameworks to support trusted digital repositories 

• Embedding preservation practices into wider planning and policy development 

Despite this, the complexity of digital preservation is often underestimated and the need for a structured digital preservation strategy can be overlooked. 

Backups and Digitisation Are Not Preservation 

A common misconception is that backups and digitisation are enough to preserve information. Backup systems are designed for short-term recovery, not long-term access. Similarly, scanning physical documents without further preservation action leaves digital files vulnerable to loss. 

A well-developed digital preservation strategy ensures that critical information remains accessible, understandable, and usable long into the future, not just stored. 

Building a Digital Preservation Strategy 

Creating a digital preservation strategy involves asking key questions: 

• What information must be preserved, and for how long? 

• How will risks such as technology and system changes, software obsolescence and hardware failure be addressed? 

• What metadata is required to support future understanding of preserved records? 

• Which standards and best practices will guide preservation actions? 
• Who will oversee and maintain digital preservation activities? 

Successful strategies also involve engaging stakeholders across the organisation, ensuring that digital preservation is embedded in broader information governance frameworks. 

Guidance and tools are readily available to support planning efforts. The Digital Preservation Coalition Handbook offers practical advice for creating, managing, and preserving digital materials. The Community Owned Digital Preservation Tool Registry (COPTR) provides a directory of digital preservation tools and an interactive grid to help practitioners choose the right solutions.