Digital Preservation File Formats
Files saved today become unreadable when the software that created them disappears. This course covers choosing formats that survive and migrating holdings before they are stranded.
Course outline
What this programme covers, module by module.
- 01Why files become unreadable and how quickly
- 02Format obsolescence, dependencies and proprietary risk
- 03Assessing preservation risk across existing holdings
- 04Selecting formats suited to long term retention
- 05Migration planning, batching and rollback
- 06Verification that content survived migration
- 07Technical metadata, checksums and fixity over time
What you will gain
- Explain why file formats become unreadable over time
- Assess the preservation risk in current holdings
- Select formats suited to long term retention
- Plan and execute format migration safely
- Verify that migrated files retain their content
- Maintain technical metadata for future readers
Who should attend
- Digital preservation and archive staff
- Records and information managers
- IT staff supporting long term storage
- Librarians and data curators
Upcoming sessions
| Date | City | Duration | Fees | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 to 12 Nov 2026 | Pretoria | 3 Days | R13,000 | |
| 24 to 26 Nov 2026 | Durban | 3 Days | R13,000 | |
| 8 to 10 Dec 2026 | Cape Town | 3 Days | R13,000 | |
| 11 to 13 Jan 2027 | Johannesburg | 3 Days | R13,000 | |
| 2 to 4 Feb 2027 | London | 3 Days | US$1,500 | |
| 12 to 14 Apr 2027 | Dubai | 3 Days | US$1,500 | |
| 28 to 30 Jun 2027 | Pretoria | 3 Days | R13,000 |
Fees are per delegate and exclude VAT. Public intakes are confirmed once minimum numbers are met. We also deliver this course on your own schedule, in-house or live online.
Enquire about this course
Register your team or ask for a tailored in-house quote. We reply within one working day.
WhatsApp usCourse brochure (PDF)- Fees from
- R13,000 per delegate
- Duration
- 3 Days
- Field
- Document & Records Management
- Formats
- In-house, public, online
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