CRL will audit CLOCKSS preservation archive

The CLOCKSS Archive has chosen the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) to carry out an in-depth audit of its preservation archive.

CRL says that its constituent academic and independent research libraries have a vested interest in the durability of the CLOCKSS Archive and in the integrity of its content.

The audit will begin in September 2013 and is expected to conclude in May 2014. It will use the Trusted Repository Audit and Certification (TRAC) metrics, published in 2007 by the National Archives and Records Administration, Research Libraries Group, and CRL. TRAC checklist criteria measure the ability of a given repository to preserve digital content in a way that serves the repository's stakeholder community.

During the audit, CRL will examine governance structures, procedures, and policies that affect sustainability of the archive, the CLOCKSS Archive’s management of digital objects, and technical infrastructure and security. CRL will report to the CLOCKSS Board of Directors regarding the archive’s compliance with the TRAC metrics and identify areas where changes or improvements might be made based on those criteria.