Conference Call Minutes: December 2017

12/18/17 DAS Subcommittee Conference Call

Attendees:

McAninch, Brancato, Gengenbach, Legg, Martzahl, De Sutter, Beaumont, Capodilupo, Downing

Agenda:

1.  Follow up on move of Comprehensive Exam to online

2.  Transformational courses (see attached description)

3.  Other old business (Course Liaison workflow?)

4.  New business and announcements

Notes:

McAninch:  Add to January agenda a discussion of research statistics needed (Graser to work on research project).

DAS Comprehensive Examination:

Transition approved by Committee on Education, with first administration in April 2018.

McAninch: Is last comprehensive examination in the system?  Is the one due in April the same as the last in-person?

Martzahl: We would want to give the same exam (plus pilot questions) as administered in Portland.  Pilot questions to be handled separately.

Beaumont: Had discussed incentivizing exam takers to take pilot

Action:  Beaumont to draft (with Education staff) announcement regarding transition to online.  Targeted email message to those who are eligible to take the exam in February plus more general announcement.

Action:  Beaumont to draft (with Education staff) language and incentive to accompany test questions in online exam.

Action:  Martzahl to test exam prior to April administration to ensure that there are no glitches. (March)

Martzahl:  For one question we upload a graphic to accompany the question.  Any issues with that?

Downing:  No issue. Please send graphic at your earliest convenience.

Transformational Courses:

McAninch: Looked at what we’ve been offering and provided general description on document to be reviewed.  I think there was a conflict on numbering of one of the courses.  Have already offered Tool Integration; not sure what number is. Had trouble finding it initially, so didn’t include.  Assign TR5 to this course (so that we’re not reusing numbers).

De Sutter:  Schaefer to develop Assessment and Certification of Digital Repositories, looking at possibility of offering live in February. Under development, and DASS will receive first draft in accordance with timeline to be developed in the next week. 

McAninch:  Suggested Trusted Digital Archives (or Repositories) to be coordinated with Trends in Archives Practice book on Trusted Digital Repositories. Make sure Schaefer refers to that publication.

Action:  De Sutter to inform Schaefer of discussion regarding this webcast.  Forward to DASS the proposal that was accepted.

McAninch:  Look at models done by Library of Congress and state archives. Could break into different methods at 20-30 minutes each. Things can be better explained in chunks than in 90-minute webcast.

McAninch:  Work remains to be done with Schaefer and Gengenbach regarding reviewing DPN/AVPreserve materials to be certain that there isn’t too much overlap. 

Gengenbach:  Get in touch with Mary Molinaro (developer of those courses?).  Will pick up this project again in January after the holiday.  De Sutter: Is this something that should be integrated into DAS?  Gengenbach:  Talk to Mary about what courses cover; exploratory.

McAninch:  Consider course (probably online) on Managing Formats Over Time to cover formats in general (open, proprietary) and what about formats makes them preservable. Does that sound like a transformational course that may be needed?  Legg: Yes. McAninch: Will work on proposal for that. Generic to some extent, but outlining different formats and which are most sustainable.

Action:  McAninch to work on proposal for Managing Formats Over Time.

McAninch:  Encourages DASS members to consider what other courses might be developed for Transformational.

De Sutter:  Regarding TR1, Legg indicated that content is good. De Sutter had heard complaints about the version that was re-recorded in September.  Legg thinks it got off to a rough start but overall was good. De Sutter to review.

McAninch:  Thinks that entire list of Transformational courses should be reviewed for content. Make sure sustainability of institution and format is covered in each. 

Martzahl:  Do we have a course that focuses on writing a preservation policy?

McAninch:  No. Could you recommend someone to create a module? 

Martzahl: Will think about that. 

De Sutter:  Is it covered in Preserving Digital Archives? 

Martzahl:  Yes, that covers it briefly in one section.  A new course would be Tactical and Strategic rather than Transformational.

McAninch: Creating a policy and getting it approved is a heavy management obligation. Is Education working on Management track? 

De Sutter: Very early stages. 

McAninch: May want to think about which courses might also appeal to Management track. Might want to emphasize planning in separate module online. Is Schaefer thinking about that for her online presentations?

McAninch:  Please be thinking about what other courses might be developed for this tier.

Gengenbach:  Bring up again in January so that folks have time to consider.

Action:  For January conference call, what other ideas do DASS members have for Transformational courses?

Course Liaison Workflow:

Gengenbach: Will have discussion item for January conference call.

Action:  Gengenbach to present discussion item on course liaison workflow on January conference call.

Next call is scheduled for Monday, January 15, which is a federal holiday. McAninch to send Doodle poll(s) to reschedule January call, fill in dates for the remainder of 2018.