Digital preservation has been a developing area for Cambridge University Libraries for many years. Funded by the Polonsky Foundation, the Digital Preservation at Oxford and Cambridge Project (2016 – 2018) placed three fellows at both the University Library and the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, to investigate the digital preservation needs of each institution. The research carried out resulted in recommendations for future digital preservation work in the areas of policy and planning, tools and workflows, as well as training and outreach.
Cambridge University Libraries has had a Digital Preservation team presence since autumn 2019. During the summer of 2021, the team expanded to deliver the CUL Digital Preservation Service as part of a 5-year Programme of Work, known as the Digital Preservation Programme. This work will entail using cloud and open-source software solutions to underpin activities that will enable current and long-term access to digital collection materials.