Anne Comeaux Certified as a Digital Archives Specialist
Anne Comeaux, the Assistant Director for Special Collections at the Briscoe Library, was recently certified as a Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) after completing nine required courses within 24 months and passing the comprehensive exam in February. The DAS curriculum and certification program was designed by the Society of American Archivists to provide archivists with the information and tools needed to manage the demands of born-digital records.
Knowledge gained in the program focuses on:
- the fragility of electronic records due to deterioration and obsolescence of format, software, and equipment
- the requirements, roles, and responsibilities related to digital archives
- recommended archival formats for preserving electronic records
- formulating policies and strategies for appraising, capturing, preserving, and providing access to digital collections
The University Archives is starting to receive born digital records, and university departments are increasingly converting or keeping records in electronic format. This will provide many challenges in the future for the preservation of these records for future researchers.