The DAS Exam (Digital Archives Specialist) is the other big exam right now. The Society of American Archivists doesn’t have the clearest of instructions about how it all proceeds. I passed the exam in 2014. Here is the instruction sheet and reading list they sent us last year. Has this been updated? Probably, but it’s a good start if you want to learn more about the process:

Examination Rules (2014):

• You must have successfully completed all DAS required courses before the exam date in order to take the exam.
• The Examination will take place only at the posted time and location.
• You are not allowed to bring books, papers, or other reference materials into the examination room.
• PDAs, cell phones, calculators, cameras or other electronic devices are not allowed in the room.
• The proctor can’t answer questions concerning the examination or the interpretation of a question.
• All questions are multiple choice.  There is only one correct choice for each question.  If you give more than one answer, the question will be counted as wrong.
• The proctor will answer questions concerning the completion of the answer sheet.  Be sure to complete the answer sheet carefully and accurately.
• The answers must be marked on the answer sheet.  You won’t receive credit for answers marked in the test booklet.  Be sure to verify that the number of the question corresponds to the number on the answer sheet.
• There is no penalty for guessing; attempt to answer all questions.
• No test materials, documents, or notes of any sort may be removed from the examination room.
• You’ll be asked to sign an affidavit confirming that you are aware that the questions are confidential and that you will not share any question with others.

Examination Make-up (2014):

The Examination consists of 100 items tests on three major domains (Foundational, Tactical and Strategic, and Transformational).  This comes out to 55% Foundational, 35% Tactical and Strategic, and 10% Transformational and Tools and Services.

Testing Competencies addressed include (2014 edition):

• Integrity checking (checksum)
• File compression (bit loss)·
• Migration/Emulation
• Open/Proprietary (file formats, software)
• Functional analysis
• Normalization
• OAIS model
• Media (optical/magnetic)
• Preservation Formats (ex. PDF/A)
• Rights management
• Standards (ex. PREMIS, Dublin Core, METS, DoD5015.2.)

[Ok and yes this part is long and could be made into a study guide Google sheet like the ACA exam but I haven’t done that yet]

DAS Curriculum Suggested Readings List, by Tier
April 2014

PDF version here – note that some links are broken in the original version

Please note that if a course is not included on the list, there are no additional readings and you should review your workbooks, handouts and notes only. (** Alexandra’s note, this was the MOST FRUSTRATING part of the exam. Really, SAA? You couldn’t come up with a reading list for every course!?!)

F7: Digital Curation: Creating an Environment for Success

• Digital Curation: A How-to-do-it Manual, Ross Harvey, Facet Publishing, 2010 http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Curation-How-To-Do-It-Manuals-Numbered/dp/1555706940
• Toolkit for Managing E-Records (NARA): http://toolkit.archives.gov
• Electronic Records Resources (MN): (** SAA reading list link is a 404 now, here’s what I think they meant:  http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/records/electronicrecords.php)
• The Curation Lifecycle Model, Digital Curation Centre, 2008. http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/curation-lifecycle-model
• Preserving Access to our Digital Future: Building an International Digital Curation Curriculum, http://www.ils.unc.edu/digccurr/ and
  http://www.ils.unc.edu/digccurr/products.html.
• ISO Standard for Trustworthy Digital Repositories (ISO16363:2012)
• Digital Standards at the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/standards/
• Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections, www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/
• Preserving Email, Digital Preservation Coalition, www.dpconline.org/newsroom/latest-news/805-email-tomorrow

F8a: Arrangement and Description of Electronic Records – Part I

• Brian F. Lavoie, The Open Archival Information System Reference Model: Introductory Guide. DPC Technology Watch Series Report 04-01. Digital Preservation Coalition (UK): January 2004. http://www.dpconline.org/component/docman/doc_download/91-introduction-to-oais
• Ben Goldman, “Bridging the Gap: Taking Practical Steps Toward Managing Born-Digital Collections in Manuscript Repositories,” RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts and Cultural Heritage, no.12, vol. 1 (2011): 11-24. http://rbm.acrl.org/content/12/1/11.full.pdf
• Describing Archives: A Content Standard. Second Edition. Chicago: Society of American Archivists: 2013. Read Statement of Principles, Overview of Archival Description, and Introduction. Skim Chapters 1-8. http://www2.archivists.org/standards/describing-archives-a-content-standard-second-edition-dacs
• Julianna Barrera-Gomez and Ricky Erway, “Walk This Way: Detailed Steps for Accessioning Born-Digital Content from Media You Can Read In-house,” OCLC Research Reports, 2013 http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/library/2012/2012-06r.html#walkthisway
• J. Gordon Daines III, “Processing Digital Records and Manuscripts,” Module 2 in Trends in Archival Arrangement and Description, edited by Christopher J. Prom and Thomas J Frusciano, AFSII Module Series (Chicago, IL: Society of American Archivists, 2012). http://saa.archivists.org/store/module-2-processing-digital-records-and-manuscripts/3145/

TST2: Accessioning and Ingest of Electronic Records

• http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/multimedia/documents/azmodel.pdf

TST3: Arrangement and Description of Electronic Records – Part II

• Brian Lavoie and Richard Garnter, Preservation Metadata, Digital Preservation Coalition Technology Watch Report 05-01. Digital Preservation Coalition (UK): September 2005. http://www.dpconline.org/advice/technology-watch-reports (Note: A second edition of this report is currently under preparation).
• AIMS Born-Digital Collections: An Inter-Institutional Model for Stewardship. University of Hull, Stanford University, University of Virginia, Yale University: January 2012. http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/aims/whitepaper.
• Michael Forstrom, “Managing Electronic Records in Manuscript Collections: A Case Study from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library,” The American Archivist 72:2 (Fall/Winter 2009): 460-477. http://archivists.metapress.com/content/b82533tvr7713471/
• Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Draft Revision, July 2012), Chapter 9, “Authority Records.” http://www2.archivists.org/standards/describing-archives-a-content-standard-second-edition-dacs

TST4: Digital Repositories

• NISO Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections http://www.niso.org/publications/rp/framework3.pdf
• Ten Principles of Digital Preservation Repositories http://www.crl.edu/archiving-preservation/digital-archives/metrics-assessing-and-certifying/core-re
• New Roles for New Times: Digital Curation for Preservation
  http://www.arl.org/storage/documents/publications/nrnt_digital_curation17mar11.pdf
• Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System – Hit “cancel” when prompted to log in http://public.ccsds.org/publications/archive/650x0b1.PDF
• Trustworthy Repositories Audit & Certification: Criteria and Checklist (TRAC) http://www.crl.edu/PDF/trac.pdf and Audit and Certification of Trustworthy Digital Repositories (SO/DIS 16363; Magenta Book: http://public.ccsds.org/publications/archive/652x0m1.pdf, which is based on TRAC.

TST5: Preserving Digital Archives: Concepts and Competencies

• Digital Preservation Management: Implementing Short-Term Strategies for Long-Term Solutions, online tutorial developed for the Digital Preservation Management Course, developed and maintained by Cornell University Library, 2003-2006; extended and maintained by ICPSR, 2007-on. Available at: http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/dpm/
• Galloway, Patricia. “Digital Archiving.” In Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, edited by Marcia Bates and Mary Niles Maack. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2009. (You can download this one from the UT iSchool, do a google search)
• Lavoie, B.F. The Open Archival Information System Reference Model: Introductory Guide. OCLC: DPC Technology Watch Series Report 04-01, January 2004. http://www.dpconline.org/docs/lavoie_OAIS.pdf
• Pearce-Moses, Richard and Davis, Susan E., “Knowledge and Skills Inventory.” In New Skills for a Digital Era (2006), pp. 1-31, available at http://www.archivists.org/publications/proceedings/NewSkillsForADigitalEra.pdf

TST7: Developing Specifications and RFPs for Record Keeping Systems

• Clegg, Helen and Susan Montgomery. “How to Write an RFP for Information Products.” Information Outlook 10.6 (Jun 2006): 23-24, 27-30, 33. Print. (Available here.)
• Porter-Roth, Bud. “Writing a RIM Request for Proposal.” Information Management Journal 40.5 (Sep/Oct 2006): 70-74. Print. (Available here.)
• Weidenhammer, John. “ABCs for RFPs.” Government Procurement 16.1 (Feb 2008): 22-23. Print. (Available here.)
• An Overview of the RFP Process for Nonprofits and Libraries. Techsoup: the technology place for nonprofits.
  http://ww.techsoup.org/learningcenter/techplan/page5507.cfm
• Glick, Kevin and Eliot Wilczek. Fedora and the Preservation of University Records Project. Requirements for Trustworthy Recordkeeping Systems and the Preservation of Electronic Records in a University Setting. Yale University and Tufts University. September 2006.
  http://repository01.lib.tufts.edu:8080/fedora/get/tufts:UA069.004.001.00005/bdef:TuftsPDF/getPDF
• Government of South Australia. Electronic Document and Records Systems (EDRMS) Functional Specification Standard. Version 3.1, December 2011. http://www.archives.sa.gov.au/files/management_EDRMS_functionalcompliance.pdf
• State Library of Ohio, OHIONET, 2008. Statewide Resource Sharing Request for Purchase.
  http://www.library.ohio.gov/IT/swrs/rfp

TST10: Inreach and Outreach for Digital Archives

• Chute, Tamar G. “Selling the college and university archives: current outreach perspectives.” Archival Issues, v.25, no. 1/2, (2000) p. 33-48. https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/handle/1811/49771
• Ericson, Timothy L. ““Preoccupied with our own gardens”: outreach and archivists.” Archivaria 31 (Winter 1990-91): 114-122. http://journals.sfu.ca/archivar/index.php/archivaria/article/view/11724/12673

T&S1: Achieving Email Account Preservation with XML

• XML Primer. Oxford Brookes University, 2002. http://www.w3c.it/education/2012/upra/documents/xmlprimer.pdf, captured October 16, 2012.
• Digital Preservation Handbook. Digital Preservation Coalition, Heslington, York, United Kingdom. 2012. http://www.dpconline.org/advice/preservationhandbook
• Collaborative Electronic Records. Email Preservation Parser Installation Guide. Washington, DC. 2008. http://siarchives.si.edu/cerp/parser/EMAParserInstallGuide_v1.pdf
• Collaborative Electronic Records. Email Preservation Parser User Guide. Washington, DC. 2008. http://siarchives.si.edu/cerp/parser/EMAParserUserGuide_v1.pdf
• CERP Email Preservation Parser Download http://siarchives.si.edu/cerp/parserdownload.htm
  Final Report http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/multimedia/documents/PeDALS_Final_Report.pdf. April 19, 2012.

T&S3: Digital Forensics for Archivists – Part I and II

• Kirschenbaum, Matthew G., Richard Ovenden, and Gabriela Redwine.
  “Digital Forensics and Born-Digital Content in Cultural Heritage Collections.” Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information Resources, 2010.
  http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub149/pub149.pdf
• Woods, Kam, Christopher A. Lee, and Simson Garfinkel. “Extending Digital Repository Architectures to Support Disk Image Preservation and Access.”
  In JCDL ’11: Proceeding of the 11th Annual International ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries, 57-66. New York, NY: ACM Press, 2011.
  http://www.ils.unc.edu/callee/p57-woods.pdf
• Woods, Kam, Christopher Lee, and Sunitha Misra. “Automated Analysis and Visualization of Disk Images and File Systems for Preservation.” In Proceedings of Archiving 2013 (Springfield, VA: Society for Imaging Science and Technology, 2013), 239-244.
  http://www.ils.unc.edu/callee/p239-woods.pdf

TR2: Managing Electronic Records in Archives and Special Collections

• AIMS Work Group. 2012. AIMS Born-Digital Collections: An Inter-Institutional
  Model for Stewardship. http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/aims/whitepaper/AIMS_final.pdf
• CDL Digital Preservation Glossary http://www.cdlib.org/inside/diglib/glossary/?field=glossary&action=search&query=preservation
• Davis, S. (2008 Spring/Summer) Electronic Records Planning in “Collecting” Repositories. American Archivist, 71, 167-189.  http://americanarchivist.org/doi/pdf/10.17723/aarc.71.1.024q2020828t7332
• Dow, Elizabeth. Electronic Records in the Manuscript Repository. Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2009. http://saa.archivists.org/store/electronic-records-in-the-manuscript-repository/1379/
• Forstrom, Michael “Managing Electronic Records in Manuscript Collections: A Case Study from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library,” American Archivist 72, no. 2 (2009): 460-477.  http://americanarchivist.org/doi/pdf/10.17723/aarc.72.2.b82533tvr7713471
• Pearce-Moses, R. & Kaczmarek, J. (2005, Spring). An Arizona Model for Preservation and Access of Web Documents. Originally published in DttP: Documents to the People 33(1), 17–24. http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/multimedia/documents/azmodel.pdf
• Prom, C. & Swain, E. (2007 Fall/Winter). From College Democrats to the Falling Illini: Identifying, Appraising, and Capturing Student Organization Websites. American Archivist, 70, 344-363. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40294574?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
• Jantz, R., & Giarlo, M. (2005, June). Digital Preservation: Architecture and Technology for Trusted Digital Repositories. D-Lib Magazine, 11(6). http://www.dlib.org/dlib/june05/jantz/06jantz.html
• Gibbons, S. & Foster, N. (2005, January). Understanding Faculty to Improve Content Recruitment for Institutional Repositories. D-Lib Magazine 11(1). http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january05/foster/01foster.html
• Lynch, C. (2003). Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age. ARL Bimonthly. http://www.arl.org/storage/documents/publications/arl-br-226.pdf

TR3: Digital Curation Planning and Sustainable Futures

• Aligning National Approaches to Digital Preservation (ANADP), volume editor: Nancy Y McGovern, series editor: Katherine Skinner, Educopia, 2012. Free PDF download at: http://educopia.org/publications/anadp
  Please read:
  – Envisioning an International Community of Practice: An Introduction
  – Standards
  – Conclusion
  – Digital Preservation Management Workshop Online Tutorial, online since 2003 with regular updates. Available at: http://dpworkshop.org/