The Role of Evidence in Establishing Trust in Repositories

摘要

ThisarticlearisesfromworkbytheDigitalCurationCentre(DCC)WorkingGroupexaminingmechanismstorolloutauditandcertificationservicesfordigitalrepositoriesintheUnitedKingdom.OurattempttodevelopaprogramforapplyingauditandcertificationprocessesandtoolstookasitsstartingpointtheRLG-NARAAuditChecklistforCertifyingDigitalRepositories[8].Ourintentionwastoappraisecriticallythechecklistandconceiveameansofapplyingitsmechanicswithinadiverserangeofrepositoryenvironments.Wewerestruckbytherealizationthatwhileagreatdealofefforthasbeeninvestedindeterminingthecharacteristicsofa'trusteddigitalrepository',farlessefforthasconcentratedonthewaysinwhichthepresenceoftheattributescanbedemonstratedandtheirqualitiesmeasured.Withthisinmindwesoughttoexploretheroleofevidencewithinthecertificationprocess,andtoidentifyexamplesofthetypesofevidence(e.g.,documentary,observational,andtestimonial)thatmightbedesirableduringthecourseofarepositoryaudit1.