Workshop 4: Preservation and Perils: A Gamified Approach to Understanding Trustworthy Digital Repositories
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Digital repositories are vital for the long-term stewardship of digital materials in the arts, social sciences, and humanities. Established frameworks such as ISO 16363:2025 Audit and Certification of Trustworthy Digital Repositories and the Trustworthy Repositories Audit and Certification criteria outline the requirements for building and maintaining a reliable and sustainable repository. Although these standards provide essential guidance, their level of detail can make them challenging to understand and apply, particularly for staff who do not regularly work with audit frameworks or who are new to digital preservation. Our project offers an accessible pathway into the concepts behind these standards through an interactive learning tool titled 'Preservation and Perils'. Instead of presenting the standards directly, we translated key ideas from ISO 16363 and TRAC into a collaborative tabletop style game. The goal is to support internal learning, strengthen team communication, and make the foundational ideas of repository assessment easier to explore. Preservation and Perils invites players to create characters and work through themed areas that parallel the major categories of repository audits. As they move through the game, participants encounter scenarios and choices that prompt them to examine their own repository practices. These scenarios open opportunities for conversation about sustainability, documentation, policy, staffing, risk, and technical infrastructure. The game encourages critical thinking, reflection, and shared problem solving in a setting that is engaging and low pressure.
Authors: Appel, Rachel, Crowley, Pax
Institutions: University of Pennsylvania, Wesleyan University
Language: English
Subfield: Conservation
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204203789
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