CCI Newsletter, No. 32, November 2003

Symposium 2003 — A Resounding Success!

by Jane L. Down, Senior Conservation Scientist, and Joe Iraci, Conservation Scientist, Conservation Processes and Materials Research Division

Symposium 2003 - Preservation of Electronic Records: New Knowledge and Decision-making took place in Ottawa on September 15–18, 2003. Co-hosted by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), the Library and Archives Canada (LAC), and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), the organization of this symposium was a true partnership. Each of the co-hosts pulled their weight and contributed their unique expertise. The synergistic effect of this relationship along with an exciting program and a number of special events resulted in a highly successful and enjoyable experience for everyone — organizers and participants alike.

This was the largest symposium in which CCI has ever been involved, with more than 350 registered delegates. Of these, 85% were from Canada, 10% from the United States, and the rest from a variety of countries including Australia, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, France, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Program

The program for Symposium 2003 offered delegates something a little different from the norm. Rather than presenting a series of generally unrelated topics, the sessions focused on areas that related to each other in a structured manner. In this way, all the key issues relating to the preservation of electronic records could be introduced in a logical sequence from the opening to closing speakers. The topics discussed included not only storage media, but also the issues that must be addressed before considering how long an electronic record will last. [Note: For the purpose of this symposium, the term 'electronic record' was used to describe a large variety of records, e.g. audio and video recordings in analog or digital form and data files such as text, spreadsheets, e-mails, etc.]

The program took the form of a decision tree that was initially formulated by the program committee, but refined by Tom Strang from CCI and Bruce Walton from LAC. Addressing the key decisions/ choices that an institution needs to make when considering the acquisition and preservation of electronic records led to five main session categories: Appraisal of Electronic Records; Authenticity of Electronic Records; Developing a Preservation Strategy for Electronic Records; Preservation Strategies for Electronic Records; and Media Knowledge. The call for papers clearly outlined this approach, and resulted in the submission of more than 45 abstracts. Because of the decision tree program structure, the process to select the papers was very specific. The final program consisted of 29 papers from 6 countries: Canada (14); United States (8); Australia (3); United Kingdom (2); France (1); and Germany (1). In addition to the main program, 4 posters that fit into the program structure were also presented (1 from Canada, 2 from the United States, and 1 from France).

Another objective of the program was to feature a wide variety of small to medium-sized institutions that included not only archives and libraries, but also cultural institutions such as art galleries and museums that are faced with preserving electronic records. For example, art galleries often include video art in their collections, but the needs of these electronic records are quite different than the needs of the electronic records typically found in archives and libraries. Thus, the speakers list included several individuals from the museum and gallery communities.

Finally, it was important that the program include some case histories that highlighted what various institutions have actually done or are doing to preserve electronic records. While discussing preservation strategies is important, seeing strategies actually being implemented and working in the real world provides useful information and models to follow. Among the case histories presented were the preservation of audio language recordings from Aboriginal elders in the Northwest Territories in Canada, the preservation of American poet Robert Creeley's computer files, and the implementation of the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS) within the Government of the State of Victoria, Australia. The case histories were arguably the most useful aspect of a program that included something for everyone.

Special Events

In addition to the official program, a number of special events were incorporated in the symposium activities — including "Preservation Quest: How to preserve your home movies, CDs, videos, and more" (a special afternoon for the general public that is described in another article).

All delegates were invited to a welcoming reception following the first day's sessions. Hosted by LAC, this reception was attended by a number of dignitaries from the host institutions. In addition to welcoming remarks by National Archivist Ian Wilson and National Librarian Roch Carrier, special guest Senator Laurier Lapierre gave an entertaining speech. In this relaxed atmosphere, everyone had an opportunity to mingle and get to know each other.

A number of tours were offered throughout the week. Each day at lunchtime, symposium delegates had an opportunity to visit the state-of-the-art Audio Conservation Studio of LAC's Music Division. This tour was one of the highlights of the symposium, and everyone who took advantage of it came away impressed. Wednesday afternoon was set aside exclusively for tours, with a choice of visits to LAC's Gatineau Preservation Centre, the storage facility for electronic equipment at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the conservation facilities of the National Gallery of Canada, and a data recovery service at Tunstall & Tunstall Inc. Because each delegate could select only one tour, there was much discussion and swapping of experiences at that evening's gala at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

The festive evening began with a reception in the Riverview Salon hosted by CCI, followed immediately by a banquet in the Grand Hall — a spectacular venue with inspiring views of totem poles, the Parliament Buildings, and the Ottawa River. Charles Costain, CCI's Acting Director General, was Master of Ceremonies. Following a delicious dinner, Aboriginal storyteller Louise Profeit-Leblanc presented an alternate view of preserving oral history (i.e. by passing it down from one storyteller to another over the centuries). Musical entertainment by the Mick Armitage Band and dancing completed the evening's activities.

Another high point of the symposium was the unveiling of a marvellous new exhibit on the preservation of electronic records. Created by the Canada Science and Technology Museum and CCI, this exhibit was on display for the entire week. It has now returned to the Canada Science and Technology Museum where it will be on display for several months, after which it will travel to various host institutions across Canada.

Rounding out the symposium activities was a small trade show with vendors B.F.B. Sales Limited, the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, Crowley Micrographics Inc., and Carr McLean Limited. The AV Preservation Trust and all the organizing partners also had booths and staff on hand in the trade show area during the week.

Conclusion

All in all, the main goals of the symposium were achieved. Delegates left with a sense of the broader issues involved in collecting and preserving electronic records, as well as knowledge about the challenges that other institutions are facing and how they are dealing with them.

For those of us at CCI, the organization of this symposium has confirmed our belief in the value of partnering with other institutions. There were many aspects to this event, and the success of each was due to the collaboration among the organizing partners and the vast numbers of volunteers from each of the institutions who gave so freely of their time.

Symposium 2003 will be well remembered by all involved.

The Symposium 2003 organizing committee would like to thank the following companies for their sponsorship (e.g. coffee breaks, CDs, or CD cases) and support: Crowley Micrographics Inc., PromoMedia Group Inc., Tunstall & Tunstall Inc., Zomax Canada Company, and ROMifications Publishing Inc.