Digital Preservation Awards 2016 – Winners Announced
Leading organisations and practitioners in Digital Preservation came together on 30th November at the Wellcome Collection in London, for an evening of celebration at the exciting Digital Preservation Awards 2016.
Hosted by the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) and introduced by the Chair of Judges, Adrian Brown of the Parliamentary Archives, the evening celebrated the achievements of those people and organisations who have made significant and innovative contributions to maintaining a digital legacy.
In a year which saw the greatest number and quality of nominations received to date, those selected as finalists faced tough competition from entries across Asia, Europe, North America, Australasia and the Middle East making this the most international competition so far.
Amsterdam Museum and partners saw off the Digital Repository of Ireland and Suffolk Record Office to claim the coveted DPC Award for Safeguarding the Digital Legacy with their high-profile project ‘The Digital City Revives.’ While those entering the inaugural DPC Award for the Most Outstanding Digital Preservation Initiative in Industry had tough competition against HSBC and their Global Digital Archive System, which went on to claim the prize.
An innovative project from the Dutch NCDD/NDE partnership won the highly competitive Software Sustainability Institute Award for Research and Innovation for their efforts to ‘Construct a Network of Nationwide Facilities’, while The National Archives and Scottish Council on Archives shared The NCDD Award for Teaching and Communications for their joint ‘Transforming Archives / Opening Up Scotland’s Archives’ training programme. Dr Anthea Seles of University College London took the prize for The Most Distinguished Student Work in Digital Preservation.
2016 was another first for the DPC Fellowship Award presented to Brewster Kahle of the Internet Archive, which announced this week it would be safeguarding its own digital collections creating a mirror archive in Canada. 20 years after the Internet Archive was founded, the award recognised Brewster’s sustained personal contribution to digital preservation, his generously shared insights and his ongoing collaboration for the widest possible benefit.
‘The number and quality of applications this year has been astonishing,’ said Chair of the DPC and Deputy Keeper of the Records of Scotland, Laura Mitchell. ‘We are absolutely delighted to see that the Digital Preservation Awards has become a prestige event with such a reach that it unites organisations across the world in a common goal to make our digital memory accessible tomorrow. Our winners tonight don’t just demonstrate excellence in digital preservation, but in collaboration and inspiration; they are truly worthy of their accolades.’