Managing and maintaining your digital files actively is key to keeping them accessible over time. Make a Digital Archive Plan that will outline the steps to keep your files accessible. Consider:
- When and how often to check on your archive. Schedule a regular date, for example: World Digital Preservation Day, the first Thursday in November.
- How to transfer files safely.
- Checking if files need to be updated into a new format, and how to do it. The Library of Congress maintains a list of recommended file formats.
- Deleting files you don’t need anymore, for example: tax files more than 5 years old.
- Refreshing your storage. Hardware can become obsolete over time. You should transfer your archive to new hardware every 3 to 5 years.
- Ensuring your documentation is up to date.
- What to do with your digital archive if you become incapacitated i.e. a digital will.
- To share or edit items from your archive, always create copies. That way the format and content of the original file will remain the same.
Checking for file corruption
Even when not being accessed, the code in files may change. This leads to corruption and damaged or inaccessible files.
Unlike an analogue collection the damage to a file may be invisible until you try and open a file. For this reason, the preservation of your personal digital archive is an ongoing process requiring annual maintenance. Checking for corruption is as simple as opening files at random to check for changes. If you are confident with technology, you can perform fixity checks.
If a corrupted file is found, it can be replaced with an uncorrupted version from one of the other copies of your archive.
Record your process clearly so it can easily be repeated.