MARA Blog: General

Published: May 24, 2017 by Anna Maloney

Digital Forensics for Archivists, a new one-unit course offered in the MARA program, introduces the unique properties of born-digital records and explores the role of digital forensics in archival record management.

Published: April 12, 2017 by Anna Maloney

Records and Information Management Month is a great opportunity for records managers and archivists alike to share the value of RIM and to garner excitement for the future. In a March 2017 opinion piece in Information Management, Jon Tilbury, Chief Technology Officer for Preservica, forecasted the following predictions regarding the future of digital preservation:

Published: March 16, 2017 by Anna Maloney

March 12-March 18 is Sunshine Week in the United States, a national celebration of freedom of information, freedom of the press, and open government. 

Published: September 7, 2016 by Anna Maloney

Earlier this year, SJSU iSchool professors Dr. Pat Franks and Dr. Anthony Bernier submitted a proposal to the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing group to compile and publish an International Directory of National Archives. This summer, their proposal was accepted and the two faculty members began working to recruit students and alumni who would be interested in participating in the project for course credit or as volunteers.

Published: August 1, 2016 by Anna Maloney

August 04, 2016
Thursday, 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Published: June 29, 2016 by Anna Maloney

Thanks to technology, information professionals are able to preserve just about any record in a digital format. But as digital records and big data proliferate (digital data is estimated to reach 44 trillion gigabytes—an almost incomprehensible number—by 2020), there have been questions about which digital storage medium is most sustainable over the long-term. One exciting research trend, covered by Tech Times and other sources, is the use of synthetic DNA for digital storage. “In a study, [researchers] detailed a new technique they have developed which allowed them to successfully encode four image files worth of digital data…More importantly they were able to reverse the process and retrieve the right sequences…without compromising an information byte” (Tech Times, 10 April 2016).

Published: May 18, 2016 by Anna Maloney

A few weeks ago, the MARA blog highlighted history harvests, an emerging trend that aims to involve the public in historic preservation by accepting donations of letters, journals, and ephemera that may or may not be related to a general theme. In late April, University College Cork in Dublin, Ireland launched the World-Tree Project, attempting to crowdsource material on Viking and Norse history from across the globe.

Published: April 18, 2016 by Anna Maloney

Joining professional organizations is a great way to network with other archivists and records managers. Networking benefits include being introduced to others in your research area; having awareness of workshops, webinars, and other training; connecting with potential employers; and participating in and advancing the professional dialogue.