Archivethat

Archivethat is a fictional, web-based archival management and discovery platform designed to help individuals and organizations preserve digital content. It combines capture, metadata management, preservation, and discovery tools in a single interface, emphasizing openness and interoperability.

Core features include automated and manual capture of web and document content, metadata support (Dublin Core, PREMIS), file format validation, checksums and fixity monitoring, versioning, and preservation policies. Access control, user roles, and audit trails support responsible stewardship.

The system is architecture- and API-first, built as a cloud-native, modular service with microservices. It supports S3-compatible storage, export/import in common archival formats, and offers a programmable API and webhooks for integration with other systems.

Typical users include libraries, museums, archives, universities, media organizations, and researchers. Archivethat can preserve born-digital records, web content, emails, and datasets, and provides search across deposits, with export options for reuse and long-term preservation planning.

Governance and ethics guidance emphasize copyright compliance, privacy, and data retention policies. The project favors open-source licensing, transparent governance, and adherence to OAIS principles, while encouraging risk assessment for legal obligations around web harvesting and data sharing.

In reception, archivethat is described as a useful testbed for interoperability and sustainable digital preservation, though critics note dependency on third-party services and questions about long-term sustainability and community support.