NESTOR - NETWORK OF EXPERTISE IN LONG-TERM STORAGE OF DIGITAL RESOURCES

Objective

The objective of the project was to create a competence network of long-term archival storage and long-term availability of digital resources in Germany. The competence network should create structures, which ensure that digital resources in Germany are archived on a long-term basis, are secured and are made available for use. Through national and international co-operation, a contribution was achieved towards safeguarding our global cultural heritage. Within the project, the following range of choices were developed, among others:

• a Web-based information forum with various content options for long-term archival storage and long-term availability of digital resources in Germany 
• criteria for trusted digital repositories
• suggestions for procedures for a certification system for digital archives 
• policies for long-term archival storage of digital resources
• a work-structure for the long-term availability of digital resources in the museum area
• co-ordination of division of duties and the assumption of long-term duties, especially in the delineation between the library, archive and museum areas

The German National Library was in charge of carrying out the project in co-operation with the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München, Computer- und Medienservice / Universitätsbibliothek der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Fernuniversität Hagen (since 2006), the Generaldirektion der Staatlichen Archive Bayerns (until 2006), the Institut für Museumsforschung, the Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen and the Bundesarchiv (2005-2009).

Since July 2009, nestor is maintained on the basis of a cooperation agreement between its partners.

Funding

The project was a sub-project of the project "Competence Network New Services, Standardisation, Metadata (Kompetenznetzwerk Neue Dienste, Standardisierung, Metadaten)", funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Project duration

1 June 2003 - 30 June 2009

Project homepage

http://www.langzeitarchivierung.de (German)
http://www.digitalpreservation.de (English)