Qatar National Library (QNL) has joined the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), becoming the DPC’s newest associate member.
The partnership will allow QNL to access DPC’s international network to develop sustainable digital preservation solutions for the benefit of Qatari institutions and digital content important to Qatar and the region.
Among its mandates, QNL has a remit to collect, preserve, and provide access to heritage content and materials representative of Qatar and the wider Arab region. Collections are made available through the library, as well as through QNL’s research library function to support education and research at all levels. With these functions increasingly being fulfilled digitally, addressing issues of digital preservation has become a cornerstone of QNL’s operations.
As a national library, QNL recognizes its obligation to support other Qatari institutions from the cultural, research, and scientific domains. QNL aims to develop digital preservation solutions for both its own needs and for those of its partner institutions.
“We recognize the significant benefit of the digital preservation support that DPC provides to a wide range of memory institutions and communities,” explained Susan Reilly, Director of Digital Content and Engagement, QNL. “By joining as an associate member, QNL hopes to leverage the DPC support network to develop sustainable digital preservation solutions for the digital content important to Qatar and the region.”
Juan Bicarregui, Chair of the DPC Board and Head of the Data Division for the Science and Technology Facilities Council, said: “In welcoming QNL to the DPC we recognize that the ongoing challenge of resilient access to digital materials is international. I’m delighted that the DPC can work with QNL to solve the emerging challenges we all continue to face, for the benefit of the whole community. I look forward to a long and productive relationship with the team in Qatar and hope that their membership encourages many more to join in this collaboration.”
The non-profit DPC is an advocate for digital preservation that helps its members to deliver resilient long-term access to digital content and services through community engagement, targeted advocacy work, training and workforce development, capacity building, good practice and standards, and through good management and governance. Its primary objective is raising awareness of the importance of the preservation of digital material and the attendant strategic, cultural, and technological issues.
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