Archiving Policy

Public Health and Preventive Medicine Archive (PHPMA) is committed to ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of scholarly content. To achieve this goal, we utilize the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) system, an open-source software developed at Stanford University Library.

LOCKSS System:

  • PHPMA employs the LOCKSS system to create a secure and permanent archive for the journal.
  • LOCKSS regularly polls our registered journal website for newly published content and archives it to create multiple distributed copies.

Validation and Restoration:

  • Each archive created by LOCKSS is continually validated against other library caches to ensure data integrity.
  • If any content is found to be corrupted or lost, the LOCKSS system leverages other library caches or the original journal to restore the content.

Benefits of LOCKSS:

  • Redundancy: The LOCKSS system creates multiple copies of our content, distributed across different locations, ensuring redundancy and resilience.
  • Validation: Regular validation checks ensure the integrity of our archives, providing confidence in the long-term preservation of published content.

How It Works:

  1. Regular Polling: LOCKSS regularly polls our registered journal website for updates and new content.
  2. Content Archiving: Newly published content is archived in multiple locations to prevent data loss.
  3. Validation Checks: Ongoing validation checks are performed to verify the integrity of the archived content.
  4. Restoration: In the event of content corruption or loss, LOCKSS uses other library caches or the original journal to restore the content.

By implementing the LOCKSS system, PHPMA aims to guarantee the security and permanence of our scholarly archive. This commitment ensures that the valuable research published in our journal remains accessible and preserved for future generations.