The International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES Project) is a "major international research initiative in which archival scholars, computer engineering scholars, national archival institutions and private industry representatives are collaborating to develop the theoretical and methodological knowledge required for the permanent preservation of authentic records created in electronic systems." As a global consortia that works to develop preservation strategies, the project focuses on "developing the knowledge essential to the long-term preservation of authentic records created and/or maintained in digital form and providing the basis for standards, policies, strategies and plans of action capable of ensuring the longevity of such material and the ability of its users to trust its authenticity."
The InterPARES Project was initiated in 1999 by Professor Luciana Duranti at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (since 2020, School of Information), at The University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Employing an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach, the project has relied on the principles of “interdisciplinarity, transferability, open inquiry, and multimethod design” and has utilized a variety of methodologies, including case studies, surveys, prototyping, diplomatic and archival analysis, text analysis, statistical analysis, digital forensics, and visual analysis.
The Project developed in four phases, each focusing on key issues regarding the authenticity, reliability, and accuracy of records. Phase 1 (1999-2001) centered on the long-term preservation of records created and maintained in databases and document management systems. Phase 2 (2002-2007) focused on records produced in dynamic and interactive systems in the course of scientific, artistic, and governmental activities. Phase 3 (2007-2012) concentrated on the application of findings from the first two phases in small to medium-sized archival institutions. Phase 4 (2013-2018) focused on digital records entrusted to the Internet.
Major funding contributions to the InterPARES Project have been provided by Canada’s Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the American National Historical Publications and Records Commission (HPRC), the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the United States, UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program, and the Italian National Research Council. In fact, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has become one of the principal supports of the InterPARES Project. Universities and archival institutions from around the world have participated in the project, including institutions in Canada, the United States, Italy, Croatia, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Ireland, Australia, Malaysia, and China. Individual researchers from other countries, such as Russia, Chile, and Peru, have also contributed.
Origin
In June 1998, a preliminary planning meeting was sponsored by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration and held in Washington D.C. At the meeting, a research plan was drafted and the project name was selected. The project name “InterPARES” is an acronym for “International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems,” but it is also Latin for “amongst peers,” a fitting name reflecting the collaborative nature of the project. After another planning meeting in October 1998 in Cagliari, Italy, the project was officially launched on January 1, 1999.
The InterPARES Project was initiated at the University of British Columbia and was based on the findings of an earlier research project conducted there, titled “The Preservation of the Integrity of Electronic Records” (known as “The UBC Project”), which was also funded by SSHRC. The UBC Project principal investigators, Dr. Luciana Duranti and Dr. Terry Eastwood, worked closely with the United States Department of Defense to develop requirements for creating trusted electronic records and for maintaining their authenticity throughout the entire record life cycle from the perspective of the records creator. This collaborative effort resulted in the development of the DOD 5015.2 standard, which is used by the United States Defense Information Systems Agency to certify Records Management Application (RMA) vendors and has served as the foundation for several other standards, such as the European Moreq.