what practices will best support preservation objectives

Information sharing: agreements to share information either at a general level or on

specific issues, such as procurement specifications or research results
Speaking with a common voice: agreements to develop and present a common
message in advocacy campaigns, or in publicity aimed at raising the profile of digital
heritage preservation
Division of labour: agreements to work together at an operational level, taking
preservation steps in a coordinated way, with responsibilities either carried out in
parallel or divided between programmes
Shared resources: agreements to share resources such as systems, staff or funds to
work on a common programme.

11.5.3 Structural models

Most collaborations can be seen to fit into one of four categories of structural models, each
offering different strengths and weaknesses:
Centralised distributed models, consisting of one partner that leads on policy, sets
directions and provides most of the infrastructure, working with a number of others
who have clearly specified but limited roles, such as identifying material to be
preserved and adding metadata, possibly with limited responsibility for long-term
maintenance. (For example: a central records authority working with government
business agencies, setting standards and providing guidance.)

Like all distributed models, this offers some cost sharing and creates a pool of ideas
and perspectives. It allows economies of scale if functions like storage are centralised.
It may offer more reliable preservation because processes can be better controlled and
more specialised expertise used than in some other models. Decision making, largely
in the hands of the central agency, may be more efficient than in more equally
distributed models.

On the other hand, this model may not encourage ownership of the programme among
the peripheral partners, so it may not be effective in encouraging transfer of skills from
the central agency.

Such a model is probably good for beginning programmes seeking to collaborate with
large, advanced programmes. It is also suitable where there may be one programme
willing to take ongoing responsibility and a number of others who can help but are not
sure about their long-term commitment.

More equally distributed models, consisting of a number of partners with similar

levels of commitment and responsibility. (For example: a group of data archives that
decide to agree on standards and share specifications for purchasing computer
equipment.)

This model also offers cost sharing and the input of ideas, but it may have the

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