ARA SAT Lunchtime Webinar: An introduction to digital preservation using DROID
Speaker: Steve Daly, The National Archives
The Section for Archives and Technology presents a training webinar by Steve Daly, product manager of DROID at The National Archives (TNA).
DROID is a free, open-source software tool developed by TNA. It is used by archivists around the world to profile a wide range of file formats, assess their risk, and plan for the long-term accessibility of these files. In this session, Steve will provide a thorough overview of the application and its usage. Starting at an introductory level, this live demo will cover:
Basic and advanced uses of DROID
Lesser-known features
Using DROID to set up automated workflows
Combining DROID with CSV Validator
Managing the integrity of files in the absence of a digital preservation system
Speaker information:
Steve Daly is accountable for the storage and long-term preservation of all digital records held by The National Archives. He also owns and manages a portfolio of open-source Digital Preservation tools including DROID and PRONOM. Prior to joining The National Archives in 2022, Steve was Head of Technology for the BBC Archives.
SAT information:
The Section for Archives and Technology aims to provide a community of best practice and research around the intersection of archives, records and technology. Members are supported in keeping abreast of developments and working towards best practice in the curation of digitised and born digital materials, and their discovery and use. To find out more please contact sat@archives.org.uk. Follow us on Bluesky: @arasat.bsky.social
Links supplied of various materials for you by Steve Daly
Main website introducing DROID
Also available in the help menu of the DROID application
A place to log ideas, suggestions, and problems with DROID
Where to get the latest version of DROID, and see what has changed from one version to the next
DROID Blog on export templates
An in-depth guide to using the Export Template feature which launched in DROID 6.8.0
Registry and database of file formats and identification signatures
Main Website introducing CSV Validator
CSV Validator Language Definition
Detailed description of the CSV Schema validation language
Where to report ideas/issues with CSV Validator
CSV Validator Releases (GitHub)
Where to find the most recent version of CSV Validator
Library of Congress File Format Sustainability
Very detailed information on digital file formats, specifications, and tools, e.g. PDF/A here PDF/A Family, PDF for Long-term Preservation
NARA Digital Preservation Risk Matrix and Action Plans
Guidance on management of long-term sustainability of digital files