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IFLA Publication

Networking for Digital Preservation - Current Practice in 15 National Libraries

Libraries all over the world have to deal with fast growing numbers of digital materials that need to be safeguarded. Publications in digital form, online or on cd, digitised images, and born-digital objects need to be preserved and kept accessible. Especially for national libraries, safeguarding the digital heritage is a major issue, because of their legal task to preserve the national heritage of a country.


IFLA Publication-No 119 PDF version PDF version available at: http://www.ifla.org/VI/7/pub/IFLAPublication-No119.pdf

Networking for Digital Preservation: Current Practice in 15 National Libraries By Ingeborg Verheul.
München: Saur, 2006, 269 p.
(IFLA Publications; 119)
ISBN 13 : 978-3-598-21847-7
ISBN 10 : 3-598-21847-8
Price: EUR 78 (IFLA Members EUR 58)

Order:
K.G. Saur Verlag
P.O. Box 701620
81316 Munich, Germany
http://www.saur.de
Tel: +49-89-76902-300
Fax: +49-89-76902-150/250)
E-mail: info@saur.de

Safe storage of the digital heritage and ensuring access for future use, requires libraries to have a trusted digital repository system in place, and to have an ongoing R&D programme aimed at developing preservation strategies, such as migration and emulation.

In 2005 digital preservation in libraries has become increasingly important. Two national libraries already have a fully operational digital repository in place, and in several other countries, the development of digital repositories is well under way.

When planning digital preservation activities and improving cooperation in digital preservation, an overview of recent developments in the field of digital preservation issues could be a valuable aid: Does the day-to-day practice in storing and accessing digital objects illustrate a mutual need for certain standards? Are there currently any standards for the development and building of digital repositories, and how are these being applied? Are there common standards in research on permanent access? Or is it still too early to speak of standards, and is it only possible to distinguish best practices?

Read more on the state of the art of digital repositories, preservation strategies and current projects in the national libraries of Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.