Towards a National Strategy for Archiving Digital Materials

Abstract

In response to international concerns about digital preservation, in the UK the Joint Information Services Committee of the Higher Education Funding Councils (JISC), the British Library and the National Preservation Office (NPO) together established a programme of research studies on digital archiving. The NPO set up a Digital Archiving Working Group to guide the programme. Two of the studies explored the needs and perspectives of the many different stakeholders involved, focusing on the electronic publishing community and the academic research community. One study examined the life-cycle of digital resources and developed a policy framework to assist in encouraging best practice. Other studies looked at the preservation methods currently available and attempted to develop a cost model. The final study addressed the issue of data rescue - recovering digital material from damage, disaster, or obsolescent software or hardware. The research programme is now being taken forward at a practical level, and a recent conference identified 29 recommendations which will feed into a plan of action for the next three years.

References

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13.

The recommendations are available from the CEDARS Website: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/cedars/OTHER/warwick2.htm