Preserving digital information: challenges and solutions

Because digital information is being produced so much more rapidly than other forms, libraries and archives of the future will inevitably be libraries and archives of digital content. Just to keep pace with the flood of new digital information, the library and archive of the near future will require the means to collect, describe, make available, store and preserve digital information in the digital domain. Primarily due to their dependence on a rapidly changing technological infrastructure, digital resources are significantly less permanent than their paper-based equivalents. Their enduring accessibility into the future is far from assured. The challenge is too large and complex for any one institution or country to solve on its own, although excellent co-operative work is taking place on this issue around the world - particularly in Australia. However, if we fail to meet this challenge then there will be a permanent hole in our cultural and documentary heritage.

Benefits

Raised awareness about the preservation of digital information
Clarification of the issues that cause digital resources to be inherently impermanent
A roadmap to the emerging solutions in libraries and archives
Discussion of practical recommendations to avoid the 'technological quicksand'
Information and tools to keep in touch on this issue.

Who should attend

Librarians, archivists, curators and records managers with responsibility for digital collections ICT professionals seeking an awareness of digital preservation issues

Presenter: Alan Howell, Manager of the Preservation and Storage Division at the State Library of Victoria

Date: Monday 28th April, 9:00am-5:00pm

Venue State Library of WA, The Great Southern Room, Level 4, Alexander Library Building. Perth Cultural Centre

Cost: $440 ($396 for CAVAL/ALIA members)

Register online

For further information: please contact Eve Cornish or Nicole Sinclair.

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