18 March 2020
The Digital Preservation Coalition has launched an online platform to connect members of the digital preservation community during a time when many are working in isolation.
#DPConnect will provide an ongoing, online presence at regular intervals each day, run so that it is available in different time zones around the world. It is a chance to check in with each other and provide a social moment of interaction with peers and co-workers.
The gatherings may not be long, and will have no agenda and no themes. Those members using the service are welcome to share work problems and challenges, or just check in with each other if they are struggling or feel isolated. We will use the hashtag #dpconnect when we discuss it on twitter.
“The Digital Preservation Coalition exists to connect people and enable ever closer collaboration towards a shared global challenge,” said William Kilbride, Executive Director of the DPC. “Yet we find ourselves with new and surprising advice about isolation and distancing. Isolation should not mean lack of solidarity. We hope that, should the activity succeed, the global digital preservation community will come out of this period of isolation better connected.”
#DPConnect is available to all digital preservation community members free of charge, DPC Members and non-members alike, provided all participants are respectful and supportive of one another and adhere to the DPC's Inclusion and Diversity Policy.
Using the DPC's online Zoom facility, members of the digital preservation community will be able to choose from three daily sessions and connect by phone or web as follows:
- Australasia and Asia, timing TBC
- Europe and Africa - 12:30 GMT
- The Americas and Pacific - 12:30 PDT (19:30 GMT)
DPC members may access the sessions they would like to attend directly, by logging into the website to reveal the joining information. Non-Members who would like to attend the sessions may request the joining information by clicking on their preferred timing on the website.
Each session will have a ‘captain’ and the DPC is seeking volunteers to join the DPC staff as session captains for the various time zones. To volunteer as a session captain, email sarah.middleton@dpconline.org. To register interest and to recommend a time for the Australasia and Asia session, email jaye.weatherburn@dpconline.org.