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The term "Artificial Intelligence" (AI) is increasingly permeating public consciousness as it has gained more popularity in recent years, especially within the landscape of academia and libraries. AI in libraries has been a trending subject of interest for some time, as within the library there are numerous departments that serve a role in collectively contributing to the library's mission. Consequently, it is imperative to consider AI's influence on the digital preservation of historic documents. This paper delves into the historical evolution of preservation methods driven by technological advancements as, throughout history, libraries, archives, and museums have grappled with the challenge of preserving historical collections, while many of the traditional preservation methods are costly and involve a lot of manual (human) effort. AI being the catalyst for transformation could change this reality and perhaps redefine the process of preservation; thus, this paper explores the emerging trend of incorporating AI technology into preservation practices and provides predictions regarding the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in preservation for the future. With that in mind, this paper addresses the following questions: could AI be what changes or creates a paradigm shift in how preservation is done?; and could it be the thing that will change the way history is safeguarded? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the Virtual Ganjali Khan Project, an ongoing research initiative that is using 3D scanning and immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies to document a large historical landmark in the desert city of Kerman, Iran, the Ganjali Khan Complex. It describes the intellectual merits of these emerging technologies for preserving and providing new forms of access to cultural heritage sites, outlines the procedures of data collection and 3D processing, and describes the current work and next steps of the project. This paper will be of interest to scholars and institutions considering using 3D and VR technologies for supporting cultural heritage preservation, digital humanities projects, or other types of interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interconnectedness between personal digital archiving (PDA) and community-based digital archiving provides an entry point for thinking about how to better bridge the two within single projects. Flexibility and sustainability are dimensions that warrant special consideration to support PDA within community-based digital archiving projects. This paper examines the flexibility and sustainability of two community-based mobile digitization projects (Culture in Transit and Georgia HomePLACE DigiKits) in supporting PDA. The assessment shows that the projects are in a good position to support PDA, with only some concerns about ensuring sustainable access to digitization equipment and sufficient guidance in long-term preservation. Drawing from this work, I propose three ways community-based mobile digitization projects can be redesigned to further strengthen their support for PDA without undermining their community-based objectives. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the value in considering connections and differences between community and personal archiving needs in current and future projects, and calls for further coordination of efforts and collaboration to build better collaboration between community and personal archiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal digital archiving (PDA) is a relatively new field. As it has developed, two distinct personas have emerged: the individual person, seeking to capture and archive their own or someone else's personal digital materials; and the institution—including museums, libraries, and archives—attempting to acquire and manage personal digital materials. In doing so, institutions also advocate for the preservation and management of personal digital archives and digital file management practices held in private hands. However, individuals and institutions make different choices in terms of curation and management, based on skills, knowledge, purpose, function and economics. Understanding these differences can aid institutional support for personal archives, as well as help to build collaborative frameworks to help personal and institutional differences be better understood. This paper identifies the similarities and differences in motivation and approach between individual and institutional practices and perspectives in PDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archiving is a long-standing vocation, founded on principles such as provenance, original order, truth, evidence, preservation and permanence. A far cry from the visual spectacle and movable feast of film visual effects (VFX)—a transitory and globalized industry of disposable firms, ever-advancing technologies and a roving workforce which craft digital animations and seamless effects for the big screen. In this paper we utilize the concept of “story” as a premise to bring together the seemingly different vocations of archival science and film VFX. Through an exploration of digital film production and archival practice under the context of storytelling, we aim to highlight the need for archivists to work with the VFX industry to ensure evidence of this culturally significant aspect of filmmaking and cinema discourse is preserved into the future. As well present the argument that archives are more than collections of historical evidence. Archives are story—and archivists are storytellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On April 23–25, 2018, the University of Houston hosted the annual Personal Digital Archiving (PDA) Conference in Houston, Texas. The conference is a focused, single-track event that brings together information professionals, students, and non-academics. Though small, the conference commonly attracts attendees from around the world to discuss topics focused on the intersection of personal archiving and technology. The three-day event was comprised of two full days of presentations to all attendees. Over 140 attendees from five countries were in attendance. Two keynotes, nineteen sessions with question and answer panels, seven posters, and six lightning talks were presented. A third day offered two hands-on workshops and a tour of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center. In this introduction, the Chair of the Conference Planning Committee and Guest Editor of this issue, Melody Condron, discusses highlights of the conference, as well as themes and discussion that tie into the papers presented in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]