Workshop and registrations details forthcoming in Fall 2026.

Workshop Description:

Cloud storage and computing offer powerful capabilities for digital preservation—scalability, redundancy, and access to tools that would be difficult to maintain on-premises. But they also introduce new complexities: unpredictable costs, vendor lock-in, questions of trust and integrity, and workflows that don’t always translate from local environments.

This two-session virtual workshop helps cultural heritage professionals make informed decisions about using the cloud for digital preservation. Whether you’re evaluating cloud options for the first time or refining an existing program, you’ll leave with practical vocabulary, assessment tools, and a concrete action plan.

Format:

Two 2-hour sessions via Zoom Webinar, scheduled 1–2 weeks apart, with a guided self-assessment worksheet completed between sessions.

Intended Audience:

Archivists, librarians, curators, IT professionals, and administrators working in cultural heritage organizations of any size. No prior cloud experience is required. The workshop is designed to be accessible to newcomers while offering substantive content for experienced practitioners.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish between cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and storage tiers (hot, cold, frozen) and explain how they relate to preservation workflows.
• Identify the primary cost drivers in cloud-based preservation and apply basic FinOps strategies to manage them.
• Describe good practices for fixity checking, independence of copies, and format identification in cloud environments.
• Use foundational DevOps and automation vocabulary to communicate effectively with IT and finance colleagues.
• Assess their organization’s digital preservation readiness using the NDSA Levels and DPC Rapid Assessment Model.
• Draft a preliminary action plan with concrete next steps for their organization.