Rotterdam E-depot
An E-depot is a place to store digital information permanently. It is therefore also called an e-repository.
Why does Rotterdam have an E-depot?
Increasingly, the city archive is faced with files that exist only in digital form. From private individuals, but also from the government. The government has the obligation transfer files to an archive after 20 years.
Why is good managment of digital archived needed?
- Like a paper document, a digital file can also break down.
- Files age quickly and can become unreadable in just a few years because the software is no longer used.
Formatting information is lost due to version changes in the software used
To keep digital information accessible and with integrity, files are included in the e-depot.
When there is a threat of ‘obsolescence’, the e-depot goes to work. For example, by transferring the files to a newer software version, or even to a whole new file format. In other cases, the choice will be made to develop emulation software.