DPC RAM Benchmarking Project
CARL’s Digital Preservation Working Group (DPWG) is facilitating a national benchmarking exercise using the Digital Preservation Coalition’s Rapid Assessment Model (DPC RAM). This project fulfills one of the main recommendations from the final report of the 2024 @Risk North Summit, with the objective to gain insight into the status of digital preservation activities among Canadian organizations, helping us better understand the opportunities and challenges for capacity building and support for improvement.
The project began in Fall 2025 and is set to be completed by 2026. Now in its second phase, the wider Canadian digital preservation community, including libraries, archives, repositories, museums, galleries and other Canadian organizations engaged in digital preservation at any level, are invited to complete the assessment by June 30, 2026. For more information or questions about the project, consult the Frequently Asked Questions below or contact us at .
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Benchmarking?
Benchmarking digital preservation capabilities is integral to continuous improvement of digital preservation programs. Whether your institution is just getting started or has been engaged in digital preservation activities for some time, benchmarking is an opportunity to see where you are and where your organization can grow.
What is the DPC RAM?
The Digital Preservation Coalition’s (DPC) Rapid Assessment Model (RAM) is a digital preservation maturity modelling tool that allows for rapid benchmarking of an organization’s digital preservation capability. The model is designed to be approachable and adaptable for a wide range of institutions and contexts, and to facilitate continuous improvement over time.
Who can participate?
Libraries, archives, repositories, museums, galleries and other Canadian organizations engaged in digital preservation at any level are invited to complete the assessment, irrespective of CARL membership.
CARL members who submitted their results as part of phase 1 do not need to resubmit. Submissions from phase 1 will be included in the data analysis of phase 2.
How can I participate?
To participate, complete the DPC RAM assessment for your organization or unit, and consider submitting your completed and anonymized assessment to CARL. We have set up a Nextcloud folder where you can anonymously upload your worksheet after removing any identifying information that you may be uncomfortable sharing. See the submission guidelines in the project resources for more information.
I am new to benchmarking, can I still participate?
If this is your first benchmarking exercise, we are here to support you! CARL’s Digital Preservation Working Group (DPWG) will provide support to organizations completing the assessment by sharing resources and hosting office hours.
Do I need to submit my completed results to participate?
No, submission of your results is entirely voluntary but greatly valued. Your contribution will help us build a more robust and nuanced understanding of the Canadian digital preservation landscape and identify target levels for capacity building and improvement that we can work towards together.
How will my data be used?
Once the worksheets are received, members of the CARL Digital Preservation Working Group (DPWG) will import the data into a spreadsheet to analyse the results. The results will include average current levels, average target levels and the difference between the two. If there are enough results submitted for a specific domain, the working group may opt to create a targeted report. See the submission guidelines in the project resources for more information.
Can an organization submit more than one assessment?
Yes! One institution may have multiple units or departments carrying out digital preservation activities with differing infrastructure, policies and procedures. In these cases, it often makes sense to carry out separate DPC RAM assessments for each unit. For this project, multiple assessments can be submitted for the same organization.
My organization is outside of Canada, can I still participate?
We are only accepting submissions of completed assessments by Canadian organizations. However, all the project resources are freely available and you are welcome to use them.
My organization is in the private sector, can I still participate?
Yes! We welcome submissions from both public institutions and private enterprises within Canada.
My organization doesn’t have a formal digital preservation program, can I still participate?
Yes! If your organization is doing digital preservation on any level, even informally or on a small scale, you are welcome to participate.
Do I need my administration’s approval to complete and submit the assessment?
We encourage you to get the support of your administration to maximize the benefits of completing the assessment (raising awareness, getting buy-in for your forward planning, etc.) but since the submission of results is voluntary and anonymous, formal approval is not a requirement to participate in this benchmarking exercise.
Can I submit my results if I completed a DPC RAM assessment independent of the benchmarking project?
Yes, if you have completed an assessment in the last 36 months, you are welcome to submit it as-is to help build a more robust and nuanced understanding of the Canadian digital preservation landscape.
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Upcoming Events
National DPC RAM Benchmarking Project: Office Hours
April 29 – 13:00 EDTNational DPC RAM Benchmarking Project: Office Hours (IN FRENCH)
April 30 – 13:00 EDT
Previous Events
National DPC RAM Benchmarking Project : Kick Off Webinar – Recording (April 7, 2026)
- @Risk North 3 Digital Preservation Summit Report (2025)
- Creating Digital Preservation Capacity Through Human Resource Development at Canadian Academic Libraries (2022)
- Canadian Web Archiving Symposium (2022)
- Key Issues Impacting Digital Preservation in Canada (2021)
- Final Report of the Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group (2020)
- @Risk North 2: Report of the Open Forum (2019)
- Final Report of the Survey on Digital Preservation Capacity and Needs at Canadian Memory Institutions, 2017-18 (2019)
Sarah Lake
Visiting Program Officer
Digital Preservation
News – Preservation
Events - Preservation
National DPC RAM Benchmarking Project: Office Hours (IN FRENCH)
April 30 – 13:00 EDTNational DPC RAM Benchmarking Project: Office Hours
April 29 – 13:00 EDT
CARL plays a key role in advancing the preservation of Canada’s scholarly record—both print and digital—by fostering national discussions, supporting collaborative efforts, and developing strategic initiatives.
Digital Preservation
CARL supports the long-term stewardship of Canada’s digital scholarly record through national working groups, coalitions, and summits. The Digital Preservation Working Group (DPWG), established in 2016, brings together experts from academic libraries, archives, and related organizations to assess preservation capacity and develop strategies and training opportunities. Among its initiatives were the Canadian Web Archiving Coalition (CWAC), which focused on preserving Canadian web-based content, and the @Risk North summits, which advanced national conversations on digital preservation.
Shared Print Preservation
CARL has been actively involved in shared print preservation efforts to ensure long-term content retention and access, particularly for Canadian materials.
- North: The Canadian Shared Print Network (2022) coordinates regional shared print initiatives and extends participation to libraries not yet in a shared print program. Sponsored by national organizations, North facilitates the consolidation and retention of print collections.
- Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group (2018-2020) was formed by CARL and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) to develop a national strategy for collective print preservation. View their Final Report (2020).
- @Risk North (2017) Summit brought together stakeholders to discuss the challenges of shared print preservation, laying the groundwork for future initiatives.
- Earlier Initiatives: CARL has a long-standing history in print preservation, including the 2011 publication of a model for permanent conservation and participation in LAC’s Last Copies initiative.
Digitization
Digitization enhances the long-term preservation and accessibility of Canada’s documentary heritage while supporting research, education, and cultural engagement. Benefits include improved access, reduced handling of fragile materials, text searchability, and greater accessibility for print-disabled users.
- Student Voice Project, led by CARL, is developing an online portal of post-secondary student media with support from the Government of Canada.
- CARL Advocacy for Digitization: CARL has promoted digitization efforts in federal consultations, including the Digital Economy Strategy for Canada (2010) and the Canadian Digital Information Strategy (2007).
- Collaborative Digitization Efforts: CARL libraries have partnered with organizations such as Canadiana.org and the Internet Archive to digitize and provide online access to collections.
Preservation of Government Information
Libraries and archives play a vital role in preserving government information, but challenges such as data scale, digital fragility, and stewardship costs threaten its longevity.
- The Leviathan North Meeting (2015), inspired by the Center for Research Libraries‘ (CRL) 2014 Leviathan meeting, co-sponsored by CARL and CRL, gathered stakeholders to discuss challenges and collaboration in preserving government information. View the Final Report on Leviathan North (2015).
Theses and Dissertations Preservation
CARL members work collaboratively to ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of Canadian theses and dissertations:
- Institutional repositories at CARL libraries collect and retain students’ theses and dissertations.
- Theses Canada, a partnership between LAC and nearly 70 universities, aggregates these works into a national collection, available in both microfiche and digital formats.