Data - unbound by time or discipline - challenges and new skills needed

David Giaretta MA, MSc, DPhil, MBE
Giaretta Associates Ltd and PTAB
www.giaretta.org

20150915
TPDL 2015, Poznan, Poland

Outline

Libraries and Data - a personal view

Humans read one book at a time
- BUT how to deal with so much information
"Metadata" - means classifying
- BUT there are many other types - "have we got enough of the right types?"
Format is the important thing
- BUT meaning is vital
"emulate or migrate"
- BUT not adequate for data

Libraries and Data - new opportunities

Reasons for preserving

Step back - help scientists prepare Data Management Plans

Conclusions

Gateways to Knowledge?
- But what additional expertise is needed? Clearly one cannot understand all scientific disciplines
- ...data is different and key ideas and fundamental questions must be grasped
Natural home for long-term preservation?
- But can preservation of all types of data be done properly?
- How to prove it? ISO 16363 certification