University of Arizona Libraries has received a $299,454 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program to expand Digital POWRR (Preserving Digital Objects With Restricted Resources), a long-running digital preservation training initiative.
The two-year project will address critical workforce needs among library, archives, museum, and other cultural heritage professionals responsible for stewarding digital collections. Previous Digital POWRR research has identified challenges including limited access to practical training, role ambiguity, professional isolation, and a lack of dedicated digital preservation staff, particularly at smaller and resource-constrained organizations.
The project is led by Stacey Jones, Associate Librarian and Unit Lead for Digital Preservation and Production at University of Arizona Libraries. Beginning in September 2026, the project will expand POWRR’s cohort-based training model through two complementary programs. The Digital POWRR Academy will extend POWRR’s existing institute model into an immersive five-day experience designed for practitioners who are new to digital preservation or need to build practical skills as their roles evolve. The expanded format will provide more time for hands-on work with tools, project planning, peer learning, and individualized guidance, while taking a more holistic approach to digital stewardship. Two Academy cohorts are planned for summers 2027 and 2028. A new Digital Preservation Summer Institute, piloting in summer 2028, will serve as a field-wide professional development venue, offering multiple concurrent workshops with an emphasis on intermediate and advanced topics that currently lack reliable training opportunities. The project will also support curriculum development, evaluation, and dissemination of openly available training materials.
At the University of Arizona, that same emphasis on making preservation knowledge practical and accessible is reflected in the Wildcats Memory Lab, which provides equipment, guidance, and training to help community members care for and digitize personal and community collections.
“We’re grateful to IMLS for investing in this critically important workforce development. Digital preservation is essential to ensuring that today’s knowledge and cultural record remain available to future generations,” said University Libraries Dean Shan Sutton.
“Through the University of Arizona Libraries’ POWRR Academy and Digital Preservation Summer Institute, professionals from libraries, archives, and cultural heritage organizations will build digital preservation skills and programs to ensure long-term access to the historical record,” said Sutton.
