Narrowing the Lens: Preservation Assessment for Digital Manuscripts

Abstract

As a response to Ben Goldman’s 2011 call to action in RBM regarding born-digital manuscripts, this article revisits the topic thirteen years later. Drawing inspiration from Goldman’s work at the University of Wyoming, the authors attempt to narrow the preservation lens further by focusing on specific collections and considering factors like file types, risk, and resource availability. The authors suggest further humble, but practical, steps towards preserving born-digital materials, based on their experiences and while emphasizing the importance of contextual decision-making in the face of complex challenges.