[The responsibilities and functions set out above (in simplified and slightly modified form),

are described in much greater depth and detail in the Reference Model for Open Archival
Information Systems (OAIS), released in 2002 as a draft international standard by the
International Standards Organisation. The OAIS Reference Model is the most successful
attempt to define both a conceptual model for managing digital materials of enduring value,
and a vocabulary with which to discuss it.

Anyone contemplating a responsibility for managing digital materials should seek to

understand the concepts articulated in the Reference Model itself.

The Reference Model is a high level conceptual framework that can be used as a reference
point for those designing, using and evaluating real implementations. It is important to realise
that it is not an implementation specification: it does not provide a set of instructions on how
to preserve digital information. Its value lies in explaining what is required at a highly
conceptual level, regardless of the means chosen to achieve it.]

8.6 Characteristics of reliable preservation programmes

The reliability and trustworthiness of digital preservation programmes are very important
issues to many stakeholders. Producers, users, investors and the broad community have a
strong interest in ensuring that digital heritage materials are managed by arrangements that
can be trusted. Those potentially responsible for the programmes also have an interest in
assessing what they can offer and the risks of accepting responsibility.

Preservation programmes offering long-term reliability are expected to have the following
characteristics:
Responsibility: a fundamental commitment to preservation of the digital materials in
question
Organisational viability, including the prospect of an ongoing mandate; a legal status
as an organisation that would support an ongoing preservation role; and a
demonstrated ability to put together the resources, infrastructure and work teams that
could manage the complexity of digital preservation
Financial sustainability: a likely prospect of the organisation being able to continue to
provide the required resources well into the future, with a sustainable business model
to support its digital preservation mandate
Technological and procedural suitability: the use of appropriate systems and
procedures to do what is required to manage and preserve digital resources
System security of a very high order
Procedural accountability, with clear allocation of responsibilities and mechanisms for
reporting and assessing performance.

Arrangements that are able to demonstrate these attributes should be trustworthy.

Development of trust may be a matter of demonstrating these characteristics over time. In the
long term, certification programmes will probably be needed but at the time of writing no
certification programmes for digital preservation arrangements have appeared. It remains very

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