This blog post is written on behalf of JISC.

Neil Grindley covering the Preservation Tools strand, a detailed description is available at http://infrastructurecalloct2010.jiscpress.org/appendix-h-preservation-tools/, and a briefing paper is available at http://inf11briefingoct2010.jiscpress.org/repositories-take-up-and-embedding/

This strand is not about supporting technical tools development – but about using current, existing tools, and embedding the use of these tools into normal working practices. However Neil notes that projects may identify that more development is needed, or that existing tools have limitations etc. but that this needs to come out of using preservation tools in live environments.

Emphasis on solving real and pressing problems.

There are a huge range of tools –  too many for me to capture here – but note that this is not limited to tools developed specifically for ‘preservation’ – but anything that includes aspects of preservation or preservation workflow could fall into this – an example mentioned is the image editing package GIMP. However, also obviously tools developed with preservation specifically in mind are also in scope.

Very important to consider how the work the projects propose to carry out will impact on the broader community – this needs to be addressed by proposals.

Markers of the proposals will also be looking for (amongst other things):

• Proposal involving new users of tools developed elsewhere
• Described procedures and processes that represent new practice for the bidder
• Rigorous and plausible descriptions of proposed engagement with toolsets
• Intelligent and complementary partnerships between tools providers and tool users