Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture (PDT&C)

Published by De Gruyter Saur

Volume 51 Issue 4

Issue of Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture (PDT&C)

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Contents
Journal Overview

Publicly Available December 29, 2022

Articles

December 29, 2022

Editor’s Introduction

Karen F. Gracy

Page range: 131-131

December 29, 2022

Personal Digital Archiving and Catastrophic Data Loss: Is it Getting Better?

Anthony Cocciolo, Morgan Yanni

Page range: 133-139

Abstract

Given the changing landscape of personal computing, this study asks: (1) has the occurrence of personal catastrophic data loss improved with the maturity of digital technology and services, and (2) have the reasons for data loss changed with the maturing of digital technology? These questions are addressed through a qualitative content analysis of N = 136 participant responses from 2013 to 2022 to a question about their personal experience of data loss. The study finds that there is no decline over time in participant’s experience of data loss, and the reasons for data loss continue to be varied. Losing digital information endures as an unpleasant experience for today’s computing users, and personal digital archiving ought to be introduced to young people early on to avoid learning about data loss “the hard way.”

December 29, 2022

Digital Curation and Contemporary Documentary Filmmaking

Heather L. Barnes

Page range: 141-154

Abstract

Documentary films have evolved considerably since 1922s Nanook of the North. Fans of nonfiction now stream multi-episode documentaries on platforms like Netflix or catch a feature at one of many documentary-centered film festivals around the world. Inexpensive video cameras and internet distribution have expanded the documentary film universe exponentially. From 1-min films to feature-length theater releases, moviegoers around the world have embraced this diverse and growing genre. To the benefit of aspiring filmmakers, documentaries can now be filmed on a wide array of digital video devices, including smartphones, and edited inexpensively. Given this abundance, it may seem counterintuitive that, from a preservation perspective, the documentary film genre faces substantial risks. Research indicates that independent filmmakers lack access to resources that would ensure the long-term stewardship of their works (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 2012). This research project examines documentary film production through the lens of digital curation. It describes filmmakers’ data practices and proposes a data curation model designed to guide filmmakers and film archives in developing data management plans similar to those currently used by researchers in the sciences. The proposed data curation model reflects the influence of the growing research data management field and integrates components related to digital storage, copyright, publishing, context, and file organization.

Open Access December 29, 2022

Archiving Australian Media Arts: A Project Overview

Melanie Swalwell, Helen Stuckey, Denise de Vries, Cynde Moya, Candice Cranmer, Sharon Frost, Angela Goddard, Steven Miller, Carolyn Murphy, Nick Richardson

Page range: 155-166

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Abstract

This article presents an overview of the ARC Linkage Project “Archiving Australian Media Arts: Towards a method and a national collection,” which addresses the challenges of preserving digital media artworks that are stored on obsolete media and that require legacy computer environments to access. It lays out the challenges facing digital media arts, articulates the significance of the deposit of local media art organisation archives into the custody of major, jurisdictionally-appropriate cultural institutions, and details the selection of case studies for research from these organisations’ archives and other existing digital media art collections in our partner organisations’ custody. Case studies consist of the ANAT archive (formerly the Australian Network for Art and Technology), floppy disks from the Stan Ostoja-Kotkowski archive, Experimenta Media Art’s exhibition “Virtualities” (1995), dLux media art’s exhibition “Matinaze 97” (1997), and the Griffith University Art Museum’s collection of interactive CD-ROMs. The article reports on progress to date against two of the project’s aims, outlines the collective benefits to partners and to researchers of artworks and other materials from these archives being available, and indicates that access to born digital materials should improve in the near future with digital emulation infrastructure set to be built.

About this journal

Objective
Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture (PDT&C) is an international refereed journal of high scholarly standing which focuses on preserving digital content from a wide variety of perspectives, including technological, social, economic, political, and user. Its scope is global, covering projects and practices from key international players in the field.

The intended audiences for PDT&C are librarians, archivists, museum and other cultural heritage professionals, and educators. The goal of the journal is to provide a timely forum for refereed articles, news, and field notes from around the world.

In addition to the featured refereed articles, there is a section called Currents which contains news and commentary. Further contributions include invited articles, editorials, reviews, and position papers. High quality color illustrations will add to the informative value of the content.

All articles undergo a double-blind peer review process with at least two peer reviewers (at least one external).

Topics

Digital content preservation
Culture
Information science
Library science
Preservation and restoration
Communication science

Article formats
articles, editorials, reviews, commentaries, and position papers

Call for papers

Information on Submission Process

Volume 51 Issue 4

Issue of Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture (PDT&C)

Frontmatter

Editor’s Introduction

Personal Digital Archiving and Catastrophic Data Loss: Is it Getting Better?

Abstract

Digital Curation and Contemporary Documentary Filmmaking

Abstract

Archiving Australian Media Arts: A Project Overview

Abstract