Texas Digital Library Receives Planning Grant for Secure Data Preservation Project

TDL fingerprint graphic with text

The Texas Digital Library and a group of partners recently received an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant to support the development of the first nationally distributed digital preservation (DDP) service for sensitive data. 

The IMLS award of $87,384 will fund the Preserving Sensitive Data in Distributed Digital Storage Networks project, supporting the research and data gathering needed to model a nationwide distributed digital preservation service for private and sensitive content. 

Although distributed digital preservation services have been offered in the United States for over a decade, no distributed service offering for sensitive data currently exists. As a result, sensitive data in the custody of libraries, health science centers, and archives are at an escalated risk of loss.

The complexity of the project requires significant coordination, so TDL will work with a broad group of stakeholders including Academic Preservation Trust, Dell Medical School, Maryland Advanced Research Computing Center, Northeastern University, the Smithsonian Institute, Texas Advanced Computing Center, University of California San Diego, University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Security Metrics.

More information on the project is available at the TDL website.