Digital Preservation for All: Building Trust Networks for Cultural Memory
By Billy Bicket, Head of Maker Labs, TechSoup
The preservation of cultural memory has always been a collective endeavor. As we work to ensure equitable access to digital preservation tools for galleries, libraries, archives and museums (referred to as GLAM organizations), we’re learning valuable lessons about how technology can either strengthen or undermine community agency.
Our recent survey of 246 cultural heritage organizations surfaced familiar but pressing challenges: 68 percent struggle with basic collections management, and 53 percent lack essential technical expertise. But numbers tell only part of the story.
Through our Accelerating Makers program, we’ve learned that sustainable solutions require much more than new tools — they demand that we create opportunities for Makers and civil society leaders alike to connect more directly around questions of power, trust, and community control.
Learning from Partners and Pioneers
Organizations like Shift Collective have done groundbreaking work documenting how technological “solutions” can sometimes harm the communities they aim to serve. Their research reminds us that any intervention must start by understanding local contexts and centering community needs. Building on these insights and our own experience connecting civil society leaders with Makers and technology resources, we’re excited to share a new collaborative initiative that aims to address some of these challenges.
The Cultural Memory Lab for GLAM Organizations
In partnership with Gray Area and the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web, we’re launching the Cultural Memory Lab to explore how decentralized technologies might help democratize digital preservation.
This initiative combines three aspects:
- Community-Controlled Infrastructure: Working with FFDW, we’re studying how decentralized technologies can reduce costs for civil society organizations while maintaining community sovereignty over cultural assets.
- Regional Support Networks: We’re learning from DWeb Makers in cities like Chiang Mai and Vancouver who are creating spaces where GLAM organizations can connect directly with peers and technical experts.
- Direct Resource Investment: Through microgrants of up to $5,000, and technical assistance, we’re supporting Makers and civil society leaders at galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM) to explore decentralized strategies for preserving collective memory, while contributing their learnings with the broader public interest technology field.
This initiative directly advances TechSoup’s mission by making emerging technology accessible to small, underserved organizations. By combining microgrants with technical education and access to regional technical support networks, we’re empowering communities to own and preserve their narratives while creating replicable models for technology discovery and integration in civil society.
An Invitation to Participate
We see this work as part of a broader movement to reimagine technology infrastructure for civil society. We invite you to join us in exploring key questions like these:
- How can we ensure that new tools strengthen rather than undermine community agency?
- What governance models best support community control?
- How do we measure impact in ways that matter to communities?
Visit grayarea.org/initiative/cultural-memory-lab to learn more or reach out to our team at publicgoodapphouse@techsoup.org. You can learn more about upcoming workshops and the global showcase event happening in June 2025 by joining our events hub for alerts.
This is complex work that requires ongoing dialogue between communities, Makers, and cultural heritage practitioners. We’re grateful to be learning alongside so many dedicated partners as we work toward more equitable and sustainable approaches to cultural preservation.
This initiative is supported by the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web.
