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Phase Three of POWRR: Extending the Reach of the Digital POWRR Workshops

The Digital POWRR Project (Preserving Digital Objects with Restricted Resources) is pleased to announce the continuation of the POWRR workshops for the next two years. This project has been made possible in part thanks to the FY2017 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). With this award, POWRR will be able to hold a minimum of five, two-day workshops enabling librarians and archivists from small and mid-sized institutions to build skills for curating and preserving digital collections, as well as facilitating connections between small institutions and local experts.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and approximately 35,000 museums. Their mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Their grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow them on Facebook and [ https://twitter.com/us_imls Twitter].

This award is especially meaningful, as the Digital POWRR Project began as an IMLS-funded grant study. With their initial support, and a later major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), POWRR has been able to aid hundreds of librarians and archivists, from 30 states in developing and cultivating their digital preservation programs. We are very grateful that IMLS’s continued support, through this award, allows us to continue that work. We are looking forward to what the next two years will bring, and we hope you are too. Check back here for updates and to see if a workshop is coming to your area!

Project Staff

• Project Investigator: Jaime Schumacher
• Project Investigator: Drew Vandecreek
• Communications Manager: Stacey Erdman

• Advisor: Jeffrey Hancks
• Advisor: Patrice Andre-Prud'homme
• Advisor: Aaisha Haykal

• Instructor: | Martin Kong
• Instructor: Lynne Thomas
• Instructor: Meg Miner
• Instructor: Danielle Spalenka

Past Team Members

• Graduate Assistant Sarah Fraser
• Curator of Manuscripts Katharine White
• Repository Developer Nathan Books
• Network Administrator Joseph Thomas
• Graduate Assistant Amanda Miller
• Student Assistant Kelly Klecka
• Graduate Assistant Jennifer Justice

Phase 2: Made Possible in Part by the NEH 2015-2016

The Digital POWRR (Preserving digital Objects with Restricted Resources) Project has moved into a new phase that extends the reach of the POWRR Preservation Workshops. Thanks to the funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities Division of Preservation and Access, the POWRR project will conduct a minimum of six workshops across the country over the course of 2015-2016 to continue providing practical, hands-on solutions for information professionals from small and under-funded institutions looking to begin digital preservation practices. Project staff will continue to revise and fine-tune curriculum in response to participant feedback and new developments in this rapidly-changing field. Previous team members will continue to serve as the staff and instructors for the workshops. The POWRR Project will also have a limited number of travel bursaries available to under-represented institutions in need of assistance traveling to the workshops.

This phase of the POWRR Project has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence.

Phase 2 Links and Documentation

Phase 1: IMLS Digital POWRR Project 2013-2015

While many larger institutions have made considerable headway on digital preservation, many medium and smaller sized institutions have struggled to make similar progress, largely due to a lack of economy of scale. This project will investigate, evaluate, and, at its close, recommend scalable, sustainable digital preservation solutions for libraries with smaller amounts of data and/or fewer resources. Working closely with nationally recognized standards-based vendors of digital preservation solutions, the project will also investigate potential business models that would provide equitable access to digital preservation to libraries of all sizes. The Northern Illinois University Libraries will carry out this research with a board of advisors and partner libraries at Chicago State University, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, and Western Illinois University.

Phase 1 Links and Documentation