Digital preservation: overview of current developments

  • Authors:

  • Gail M. Hodge

  • Affiliations:

  • Information International Associates, Inc., 312 Walnut Place, Havertown, PA

  • Venue:
  • Information Services and Use - Special issue on ICSTI/CODATA/ICSU seminar on preserving the record of science
  • Year:
  • 2002

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Abstract

ICSTI and ICSU Press, with support from UNESCO, co-sponsored a workshop on digital archiving that brought major stakeholders together to identify the key issues for each group in January 2000. The state of digital archiving art and practice at the time of that conference is compared to February 2002 based on several "maturity factors". These factors include: the existence and adoption of a framework, operational systems, guidelines and standards, supportive technologies, and policies. An analysis of these factors shows that digital preservation is maturing. The trend is toward practical implementations, operational systems, and the institutionalization of best practices and standards. The move is toward more cooperative efforts, particularly in the areas of international standards development. Many current projects include multiple stakeholder groups. Science has benefited and contributed to the maturing of this field. However, incorporation of these principles into the workflow of scientists and engineers remains critical to preserving the record of science.