ATE Central Webinar: The Importance of Digital Archiving for ATE

Working with MATEC NetWorks, last month ATE Central provided an online presentation on the importance of digital archiving for the ATE Community. The complete webinar, which runs just over 75 minutes in length, is now available for viewing.

Rachael Bower and Kendra Bouda reviewed what digital archiving is, why archiving benefits ATE, and how ATE Central can help with your project or center’s archiving efforts. Whether you’re just getting started with ATE, or you’ve been part of the community for a while, this webinar can be a helpful resource, providing helpful information about sustaining your project or center’s deliverables beyond the life of your ATE funding.

Curious about what was covered? These five questions offer a sneak peek:

What is an archive?

• An archive is a collection of materials – often comprised of primary source documents – that has been preserved for its enduring value. For ATE, the Archive is a virtual space where deliverables and select administrative documents are collected, stored, and made available in digital format.

Why should I archive?

• No matter how far along you are in meeting the goals of your project or center, dissemination and continued access to the materials you create are vital. By archiving your materials with ATE Central, your colleagues and fellow ATE grantees can benefit from the easy access that a central archive provides.

Am I required to archive with ATE Central?

• While we encourage all ATE grantees to consider archiving their material, the requirement applies to new grantees that have applied and received funding under solicitation NSF 14-577. Additionally, those who receive new funding (e.g. a center that transitions from regional to national or from national to support center; or a project or center that receives a second round of funding) are also required to archive deliverables created under the new award.

If I am required to archive with ATE Central, what must I archive?

• The deliverables created by your project or center will make up the majority of your archival material. Depending on the scope of your project or center’s work, this might include course content, informational videos, research reports, or other items created during the lifecycle of your grant.

When should I get started and how do I plan for archiving with ATE Central?

• The earlier the better! The sooner you prepare to archive with ATE Central, the easier it will be. Ideally, you’ll start planning to archive before you create your very first deliverable. But don’t feel discouraged if you are mid-grant or even at the end of your grant and haven’t started archiving. The archiving checklist, discussed in detail in the webinar, will help guide you through the process.

In addition to these questions, the webinar covers an array of other concerns, such as specific guidelines for submitting resources to the Archive.

More information about the ATE Central Archiving Service can be found on the ATE Central portal. For specific questions about archiving, don’t hesitate to contact Metadata and Information Specialist Kendra Bouda, at kbouda@atecentral.net.