The document discusses the Connecticut Digital Archive (CTDA), a proposed repository for preserving and providing access to Connecticut's digital cultural heritage. It would curate permanently valuable digital assets from cultural institutions in Connecticut. Currently a group of interested organizations are working with seed funding to develop the organizational framework and infrastructure. They are establishing governance, technical, and content workgroups. The goal is to build and pilot the system over the next few years to permanently preserve Connecticut's culture and make materials openly available online.

1. The Connecticut Digital Archive:
A Repository for Digital Culture
Greg Colati, University of Connecticut
October 22, 2012

2. Why the CTDA?
 Connecticut’s digital cultural heritage is:
 Ephemeral
 Fragmented
 Not easily discoverable or reusable

3. What is the CTDA?
 An idea and a plan for a service that will provide:
 digital preservation and curation for permanently valuable
digital assets for cultural heritage institutions in
Connecticut
 a general point of access for resources about Connecticut
that is open and available to all
 Instructions for building services using its resources
 Tools to manage digital assets

4. Who is the CTDA?
Currently a loose association of interested institutions
with seed funding from:

5. NEH Foundations Grant
Application pending, notification in March 2013
 Engage interested organizations across the state
 Develop the organizational framework for a state-
wide digital repository
 Four workgroups:
 Governance
 Access/Use
 Content/Scope
 Technical Platform
 Produce an organizational handbook
 Plan for implementation
 Prototype infrastructure

6. Example Content Owners/Relationships
•Archives and
Manuscripts
•Institutional
Central: Repository Local:
• Program Administration •Research Data • Management
• Technical Infrastructure • Presentation
• Governance •State Publications
•Archival Records
• Working groups
MAGI •Map Resources
C/CSD •Geographic Data
S Sets
•Curated CT
Resources:
•Historical Societies
•Libraries
•Museums, etc.
•Colleges
Other •Museums
Partner •Libraries
s •Any content
provider

7. Example Presentation Layers
CTDA
general
portal
CHO
Connecticu
t
history.org
State
CTDA Librar
y
Custom portals
Data supplied to consumer Data/presentation supplied for consumer

8. Partner Framework
Information Universe
Re-use and exchange External aggregators and direct links
Metadata
Digital Objects
Presentation (Access) Layer
CTDA CHO Others… Others…
Management Layer
Management: CTDA Management: Partner Management: Others
Repository (Preservation) Layer
Policies, Controls, Preservation Activities CTDA Repository

9. Current NEH Foundations Grant
participants:
 Connecticut State Library
 University of Connecticut
 Mystic Seaport Museum
 Connecticut Historical Society
 Trinity College
 Hartford History Center
 Capital Community College
 Barnum Museum
 Western Connecticut State University
 American Antiquarian Society

10. Goals
 Short Term: (1 – 2 years)
 Build the organizational and technical infrastructure
 Identify participants
 Pilot test system and collections
 Near Term (2 - 4 years)
 Secure permanent funding for digital cultural heritage
preservation
 Load data from participating organizations
 Open to the public
 Connect the CTDA to national and international data
aggregators like the Digital Public Library of America
 Long Term (now until ????)
 Preserve Connecticut culture for future generations

11. Join Us!

12. Greg Colati
Sr. Director, Archives, Special Collections and Digital Curation
University of Connecticut
gregory.colati@uconn.edu