At the end of June 2022, Harvard Library and Library Technology Services announced the official kick-off of the DRS Modernization (“DRS Futures”) project, an ITCRB-funded effort to modernize the Digital Repository Service.
This 3-year effort began with an initial Discovery phase in July 2022, which will be followed by a Planning phase in Summer 2023 and will conclude with implementation and release of a new service expected in Summer 2025.
Please see the current project status below for updates on the progress we made in July and August 2022.
Current Project Status:
- The project team has successfully commenced project startup activities.
We have completed the project charter, established project team collaboration space and set up project tracking tools. - Currently, the project team is engaged in the final rounds of recruiting for project positions, with the expectations of filling them by early Fall 2022.
- Additionally, we are getting ready to spin up the public website for the project, which will host important resources, planning documents, and status updates. We expect the website to go live in early Fall 2022. In the meantime, the following project documents are available for viewing in their temporary location:
- The first monthly project status report (August 2022)
- The public version of the Digital Preservation Repository Service Modernization ITCRB proposal
- Project vision and guiding principles
These and other important project documents will be hosted on the new project website once it is live.
Next Up:
- Release of project website: early Fall 2022
- General activities in Discovery phase: Fall 2022 – Summer 2023
- Engagement with DRS stakeholders across the University to develop comprehensive understanding of diverse needs, goals, and aspirations regarding long-term stewardship of the University’s digital collections
- Development of functional and business requirements based on stakeholder consultations and use cases
- Engagement with peer institutions and digital systems vendors to explore the current digital repository landscape
Future Updates:
We will send periodic updates on the project’s progress to HL Comms. The project Executive Committee, Stewardship Standing Committee, and Born-Digital Stewardship Advisory Group, representing the concerns of the whole HL community, will also receive monthly updates.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions at:
drs-futures-feedback@hu.onmicrosoft.com.
Best,
Vitaly Zakuta, DRS Modernization Project Manager, Library Technology Services
Stephen Abrams, Head of Digital Preservation, Harvard Library