A Student’s Reflection on the Digital Heritage Lab

Abstract

This is a reflection on my professional placement at Swinburne University’s Digital Heritage Lab, exploring the role the lab plays in the preservation of Australian digital artefacts like computer software, video games and media artworks. As technology advances, the lab confronts the challenges posed by obsolete infrastructure, machine dependency, and the fleeting window of opportunity for preservation. The absence of standardised guidelines is addressed through collaborative efforts within the EaaSI (Emulation as a Service Infrastructure) network. My placement provided firsthand experience of the variety of challenges associated with digital preservation, emphasising the need for ongoing experimentation and perseverance in the face of failure. The experience gained from the placement underscores the importance of developing ideas and approaches through practical application in the field of digital archiving.