The Role of Evidence in Establishing Trust in Repositories

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D-Lib Magazine

July/August 2006

Volume 12 Number 7/8

ISSN 1082-9873

The Role of Evidence in Establishing Trust in Repositories

Seamus Ross

Digital Curation Centre (DCC), Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute
at University of Glasgow and Oxford Internet Institute (2005-6)

<[email protected]>

Andrew McHugh

Digital Curation Centre (DCC), Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute
at University of Glasgow

<[email protected]>

Abstract

This article arises from work by the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) Working Group
examining mechanisms to roll out audit and certification services for digital repositories in
the United Kingdom. Our attempt to develop a program for applying audit and certification
processes and tools took as its starting point the RLG-NARA Audit Checklistfor Certifying
Digital Repositories [8]. Our intention was to appraise critically the checklist and conceive a
means of applying its mechanics within a diverse range of repository environments. We were
struck by the realization that while a great deal of effort has been invested in determining the
characteristics of a 'trusted digital repository', far less effort has concentrated on the ways in
which the presence of the attributes can be demonstrated and their qualities measured. With
this in mind we sought to explore the role of evidence within the certification process, and to
identify examples of the types of evidence (e.g., documentary, observational, and
testimonial) that might be desirable during the course of a repository audit¹.

Introduction

Digital repositories have become a focal point of institutional development [1]. Numerous
activities from eprint services to institutional repositories to developments at national
libraries and archives reflect the recognized need to develop, deploy, and maintain digital
repositories that are worthy of trust. At the same time within our community our outlook
appears to be shifting from optimistic trust behaviour to pessimistic trust behaviour. That is, a
healthy level of pessimism has emerged that has led many to recognise that digital
repositories are only worthy of trust if they can demonstrate that they have the properties of
trustworthiness. The desire to construct a robust audit, certification, and accreditation
programme for digital repositories arises because as a community we acknowledge the
uncertainty as to whether repositories can secure the authenticity, integrity, and accessibility
of digital materials over the long term. As a result we aim to put in place mechanisms to
reduce uncertainty and the anxiety associated with it; establishing evidence of trust is an
approach to handling uncertainty. Programmes such as audit and certification allow us to
restrain uncertainty and to transform it to risks that can be measured and managed. The

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