CASPAR project and the validation of digital preservation techniques

The CASPAR project is an Integrated Project part funded by the European Union. It seeks to develop tools and techniques to support the preservation of digitally encoded information. Underpinning the project are the themes of the OAIS Reference Model, and also of validation of that model and of the tools which CASPAR develops. The immediate challenges are from the domains of science, performing arts and cultural heritage. In each of these areas we look at a variety of preservation scenarios in which there are changes to hardware, software, environment and the knowledgebase of the Designated Community. It is believed that CASPAR will be relevant to the preservation not only of these domains but also for many other, perhaps all, types of digital information. CASPAR started in April 2006 and has developed a validation strategy which should be broadly applicable to projects which claim to be able to support digital preservation efforts. The presentation will report on this validation approach.