#archivematica

Alan Morrison, Research Data Support Officer, University of Strathclyde

Artefactual, the Canadian based company which produces the free, open-source digital preservation software Archivematica, deliver regular training “camps” “intended to provide a space for anyone interested in or currently using Archivematica to come together, learn about the platform from other users, and share their experiences”. Having missed the previous UK event in York in 2017 I was fortunate to attend this year, held in the library at the London School of Economics, 10-12 July.

The majority of the forty or so attendees were UK based, representing a mix of digital projects from university libraries, archives or heritage institutions, with some representatives from the Netherlands and Nordic countries. While the level of experience of attendees ranged from the novice to intermediate, the three day schedule was well planned and paced, allowing beginners to get a solid grounding in the basics of the technical architecture and core functionality of the software. The RDMS service at Strathclyde University has been using Archivematica to curate research data for about two years now but mainly “out of the box” with minimal customisation. As an intermediate user I found this first day a welcome revision, with the explanation of dashboard functionality in combination with the hands-on exercise providing a comforting re-assurance that the RDM workflows we are employing at Strathclyde to be appropriate and effective.

(Wordcloud generated by attendees, c/o Camp counsellor Rachel MacGregor, Warwick University)

The following two days built on these foundations, exploring more advanced exercises on specialised workflows and non-core functionality. Tempting alternative streams on “Alternative DIP Use Cases” and “File Format Deep Dives” were also on offer, but I decided to stay with the main stream as this focused on consolidating and developing the skills required in “day-to-day operations”. Of particular interest was a closer look at the components which form one of the main outputs of Archivematica, the Archival Information Package or AIP. The content of the different METS files Archivematica creates and the examination of their different roles finally clicked! Fortunately at Strathclyde our workflow includes adding the descriptive metadata available from the Pure dataset record to Archivematica as part of the ingest process and is captured in the METS output. Throughout this forensic exercise the possibilities of harvesting data in the METS files to reveal characteristics of the data and file formats being deposited by individual departments at Strathclyde started forming in my mind. Such clear explanations of these elements helped not only to understand issues which had previously alluded me but were now presenting ideas on how the RDMS service could use the metadata outputs from Archivematica to develop and inform our own services. 

Away from the hands-on exercises there were opportunities to hear from the community on their experiences and implementation of Archivematica. Camp Counsellor Rachel MacGregor from Warwick University provided reassuring advice from her own experiences for any novice users and institutions ("Have a go, you probably won't break it.") while our LSE hosts Fabiana Barticioti & Nick Bywell gave a detailed overview of the use of the algorithms employed to organise their ambitious digital preservation projects. A final presentation on day three from Hannah Mackay from the International Institute of Social History (IISH) in Amsterdam on finding and deleting digital duplicates, again using algorithms, went over my head at times, but what are these events for if not to be challenged? Generous food provisions and a free bar reception in a near-by pub in the evening certainly contributed to a healthy exchange of ideas and a sense of community bonding!

It’s not often that you attend an event where the founders and directors of the company producing the software being taught are present, but this is perhaps what sets Artefactual and Archivematica apart from other corporate training events. Justin Simpson, the newly appointed Managing Director of Artefactual, and Kelly Stewart, Director of Archival and Digital Preservation Services, wrapped up the Camp with a Q&A session and look at how the company has grown since its foundation in 2000 – currently 28 employees in 5 countries/time zones – including its first UK System Archivist Sarah Mason. With an expanding clientele (most notably the Wellcome Trust) the Roadmap presented promises a busy but very rewarding future for both the company, its software and, perhaps most importantly, its users.

Personally, this turned out to be a very worth-while and profitable trip consolidating my understanding of the software while strengthening existing connections within the Archivematica community as well as forming new ones. If I had one recommendation it would be to encourage more people working with research data to get involved in using Archivematica and join this welcoming and productive community of developers and users. If you can’t make the next Camp consider attending the first community driven Archivematica Con, in Brooklyn NY, April 2020.