Instructors:  Sarah Middleton and Anna Perricci

When: Monday, June 22nd and Tuesday, June 23rd at 12pm – 2pm (EDT)

RSVP deadline: June 17th

Notify by: June 19th

Workshop Description: 

This instructor-led and interactive training begins by exploring the fundamentals of digital preservation as a starting place – fluency in digital preservation is the first step in advocating for it. (Estimated time: up to 45 minutes, then 15 minutes for Q&A + a short break). The remainder of the first session will be about advocacy for digital preservation (including what it is, why it matters, and how it can drive change). Participants will engage in short exercises (mainly throughout the second half of the first 2-hour session and the first half of second 2-hour session) to help them examine and identify effective communication strategies before moving on to practical steps. Through this course, students will be identifying key audiences and stakeholders, understanding their priorities and motivators, and crafting messages that resonate. The second session will conclude with a summary of tips and techniques for creating and structuring compelling, persuasive messages that not only capture attention but lead to the desired action.

Instructor Bios:

Anna Perricci is the Head of DPC Americas at the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), which is an organization that supports community, advocacy, workforce development, good practice and good governance in digital preservation. Her professional focus is extending the beneficial impact of the DPC’s resources, assets and team members throughout both North and South America. During her 16 years of experience in the field before joining the DPC, she provided extensive, expert guidance and strategy to projects in libraries, archives, museums, academic institutions as well as to funding organizations that support them.

Sarah Middleton is Chief Community Officer at the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC), where she leads the organisation’s work on advocacy for digital preservation. She is particularly interested in helping people make sense of complex technical challenges and communicate them in ways that resonate with different audiences. In her role, she has recently coordinated the development of the DPC’s new Advocacy Toolkit, as well as leading initiatives such as the Global Bit List of Endangered Digital Materials, World Digital Preservation Day and the Digital Preservation Awards. Her work focuses on bringing people together, drawing on shared experience and developing practical approaches that help organisations build understanding, support and momentum for digital preservation as part of their wider goals.