The Rescue of Data At Risk: An RDA / CODATA Workshop
A workshop on The Rescue of Data At Risk will be held in Boulder, Colorado, on 8–9 September 2016, in association with International Data Week that is taking place the
following week in nearby Denver.
The Workshop is being organized by the joint CODATA Task Group for Data At Risk and the RDA Interest Group for Data Rescue, and is being hosted by NCAR (the National Center for Atmospheric Research), 3090 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80307, USA.
Rationale
It is becoming imperative, and urgent, to broadcast the need to rescue (uncover, preserve, digitize and create public access to) heritage data which are languishing in non-digital (or non-readable) formats and cannot be used at all efficiently (or at all) for research in that state. Many are stored in inappropriate conditions and may be deteriorating rapidly. The most effective tool is example―showing what can be gained (and equally, what is currently being lost), both in science and in the humanities and social sciences.
By presenting a variety of Case Studies, the Workshop will demonstrate the scientific value of recovering the information from those non-electronic data through the use of modern technology, and will debate the methods, techniques, and support, needed to make many more of those older data widely accessible.
The Workshop also needs to hear about projects which were unsuccessful―or never even got off the ground―since one objective is to size up the actual challenges.
Content, Schedule and Call for Abstracts
We invite papers, either as oral presentations or as posters, that describe the management 
and challenges of nearly-lost heritage data. Posters will be on view for the duration of the Workshop, and may thus gain much more exposure than would a brief oral presentation. Following presentation(s) on one of the Workshop themes, the meeting will divide into breakout sessions to discuss the specific challenges or pointers, and then collect and review the various conclusions.
Posters relating (even distantly) to any of the themes below will be welcomed. Please submit a brief Abstract, and indicate which of the Themes would be the most appropriate. A few of the Abstracts will be selected as oral presentations to be given at the start of each themed sub-session (if your submission would not be appropriate for that, please indicate). Abstracts should be sent to Elizabeth.Griffin@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca, and will be shared among the support team.
Themes
- Locating nearly lost data (“dark data”), e.g., libraries, reports,closed field stations, hearsay. Aspects of access, borrowing or transferring ownership
- Contents catalogues for analogue materials
- Digitizing technologies
- Meta-data
- Long-term preservation of digitized records
- Long-term preservation of originals.
Speakers include: John Faundeen, David Gallaher, Mike Daniels, Stephen Del Greco, Seamus Ross, Jane Greenberg, Lynn Woolfrey, Usha Munshi, Denise Hills, Janine Aquino, Elizabeth Griffin, Vivek Navale
Registration (click here):
Registration ( $100 USD) will include morning/afternoon tea/coffee breaks and lunch on both days, reception on Thursday and transport to/from hotels if required.
Note: A late Registration Fee of $130 will be charged after August 31
Travel and Accommodation
Boulder is about 40 miles (70 km) from Denver International Airport. The route is serviced by the AB bus (see schedules).
Hotels
Preferential rates have been arranged with the Best Western Inn Boulder for 30 rooms at $139 (includes breakfast).
15 rooms have also been set aside at the Millennium Hotel for $119 (breakfast not included).
Participants should make their own bookings. Hotel discounts are only available until August 7.
Other hotel rooms may be booked as per individual choice.
Travel Support
Limited travel support may be available for those who do not have other sources of travel funds. When pre-registering, please indicate if travel support is essential, and (if so) approximately how much will be needed.
Sponsorship
We are very grateful to all our sponsors:
L.O.C.
Mike Daniels (UCAR)
David Gallaher (NSIDC)
Matthew Mayernik (UCAR)
Enquiries
For general enquiries, please contact Elizabeth.Griffin [at] nrc-cnrc.gc.ca in the first instance.