As digital preservation professionals, we are accustomed to juggling diverse tasks and balancing multiple priorities. However, recent technological and political developments have impacted our perspectives on labor and how we can best allocate resources and effort. For the 2026 NDSA Digital Preservation conference, we invite proposals that explore the ways that we approach, manage, and perform labor from multiple angles. Which tasks can we assign to software applications, and which still require human intervention? How can we leverage the potential benefits of AI tools while protecting the security and integrity of our collections and digital assets from unauthorized exploitation? Our current reality of budget cuts and hiring freezes is coupled with ever-expanding digital collections. With this reality, what are the practical limits of our capacity and potential, and how do we line those up with our visions and ideals? How can we advocate differently to secure resources that can support a resilient preservation infrastructure in the midst of humanitarian and environmental crises? How can effective programs be established in the midst of constant change? Once established, what steps can be taken to stabilize a digital preservation program and ensure its continuance? What opportunities exist for community engagement that might help navigate these emerging challenges? What opportunities can we create? What self-care strategies can digital preservation practitioners adopt to manage the demands of productivity and the stress of an ever-changing environment?

About the NDSA and Digital Preservation Virtual 2026

NDSA is a consortium of over 275 organizations committed to the long-term preservation and stewardship of digital information and cultural heritage. Digital Preservation 2026 is the conference hosted by NDSA. Open to members and non-members alike, it highlights the theory and practice of digital stewardship and preservation, data curation, the digital object lifecycle, and related issues.

For more information visit the Digital Preservation Virtual 2026 webpage.