A partnership framework for geospatial data preservation in North Carolina

The North Carolina Geospatial Data Archiving Project (NCGDAP) is a joint project of the NC State University Libraries and the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis focusing on collection and preservation of state and local agency digital geospatial data resources. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Library of Congress under the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) in a partnership with the NC OneMap initiative, a statewide framework for data coordination and distribution. A core project objective is the engagement of established spatial data infrastructure in the challenge of long-term preservation of digital geospatial data. Key issues related to engaging spatial data infrastructure include initiation of data inventories, development of content exchange networks, cultivation of metadata standards and practices, and leveraging the experience of agencies that are already making efforts to retain historical data. The NCGDAP work triggered the creation of new data preservation partnerships both within the state and across a set of states that are participating in a new NDIIPP Multistate initiative.