Preserving tomorrow's memory: Preserving digital content for future generations¹

Issue title: ICSTI/CODATA/ICSU Seminar on Preserving the Record of Science

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Smith, Bernard

Affiliations: Cultural Heritage Applications, Information Society DG, European Commission, EUFO 3274, rue Alcide de Gaspari, L-2920 Luxembourg, Luxembourg. Tel.: +352 4301 34195; Fax: +352 4301 33530; E-mail: [email protected]

Note: [1] This text is a compilation of the major issues identified in recent reports and publications on the subject of digital preservation, in some cases extracts have been taken more or less directly from the original texts. The author claims no specific originality in preparing this text but accepts responsibility for any errors or weaknesses in the overall presentation. In addition the opinions and comments expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not represent necessarily those of his employer nor the European Commission.

Abstract: There is an increasing attention being paid to the problem of long-term digital preservation, and in particular that associated with “born digital” material. This paper was prepared in order to better understand the challenges, identify topics that need to be treated at a policy level, and prepare for a possible action package on the issue. The paper can be seen as a background document to a series of expert meeting that will be held during the year 2002, as such it is not written in a formal style, nor is it intended to have a persistent impact on the subject. The reader is encouraged to contact the author to obtain up-to-date information on the topic. The overall topic of long-term preservation is a challenge in itself, however it has also been identified in an ongoing initiative sponsored by the European Commission concerning digitisation policies and programmes (see the Lund Conclusions, http://www.cordis.lu/ist/ka3/digicult/en/eeurope.html).

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-2002-222-313

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 22, no. 2-3, pp. 133-139, 2002