The Digital Preservation Awards were created by the Digital Preservation Coalition to celebrate the excellence and innovation that will help to ensure our digital memory is available tomorrow.

In 2014 five awards are offered to initiatives or projects completed since the last round, i.e. between 1st August 2012 and 31st July 2014:

• The OPF Award for Research and Innovation which recognises excellence in practical research and innovation activities.  The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
• The NCDD Award for Teaching and Communications, recognising excellence in outreach, training and advocacy. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
• The DPC Award for the Most Distinguished Student Work in Digital Preservation, encouraging and recognising student work in digital preservation. The prize includes attendance at an international conference, a trophy and a certificate.
• The DPC Award for Safeguarding the Digital Legacy, which celebrates the practical application of preservation tools to protect at-risk digital objects. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.
• The DPC Award for the Most Outstanding Digital Preservation Initiative in Industry, encouraging and recognising the adoption of digital preservation tools and approaches in a commercial environment. The award includes a cash prize of £1000, a trophy and certificates.

The Digital Preservation Awards promote encourage and celebrate the widest possible participation in digital preservation.  The judges therefore call on everyone involved in digital preservation to help them promote, publish, discuss and disseminate the awards. The awards are open to all and are international in scope. The judging panel seeks to encourage diverse nominations so if organisations are uncertain whether their projects meet the terms of the awards they are asked to apply and allow the judges to assess them on merit. Although the application procedure is fixed, the criteria against which each nomination will be assessed are presented only for guidance. Multiple applications from the same institution are welcome and previous applicants are welcome to apply provided they can show that they meet the timeframe.  A single nomination can be entered into multiple categories provided the criteria can be are fully met for each.

Application is by self-nomination and is a two stage process. Applicants must complete the nomination form (included as an appendix provided in the website below) and submit it by 0900 on 28th July 2014. A shortlist will be drawn up by the judging panel.  Shortlisted candidates should be available to attend an interview with the judging panel scheduled for 1st October or present at a webinar with the DPC and OPF at a date to be confirmed.  The awards will be presented at a gala reception in London on the evening of 17th November 2014.