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Long-Term Management and Preservation of Publications on CD-ROMs and Floppy Disks: Providing the Context for our Meeting

Presentation by Jan Lyall, Acting Assistant Director General, Cultural and Educational Services, National Library of Australia, at the National Consultative Meeting on the Management of Australian Physical-Format Digital Publications, National Library of Australia, October 27-28 1997

Before I start my presentation I think it might be helpful if I briefly explain my role in this meeting. As many people here know I have been involved with preservation and with initiatives to develop national preservation strategies for a number of years. However, as may be apparent from my current position as described on this slide I am no longer so intimately involved with preservation activities. I am here today not because of the role I will play in the future but because of the role I played in the past. This meeting has come about as a direct consequence of the 1995 conference of the National Preservation Office, of which I was Director.

Why are we here?

  • Interest in and concern about the preservation of physical format digital publications.
  • Recognition that the environment has changed and that partnerships need to be established.
  • Willingness to cooperate, to identify solutions to some problems and to develop strategies for solving others.

There is now widespread acknowledgment that the materials we are describing as physical format publications are unlikely to be able to be used in the future unless action is taken soon to preserve the information they contain. Today we are all here to try to work out what form that action should take.

The phrase 'long term access' has been used in preference to the term 'preservation' to make the concept more acceptable to librarians. However, it may have other unpalatable connotations for publishers. In the library context it means that long-term access will not be possible unless preservation action is implemented.

The fact that so many participants here are representing what National Library staff are loosely, and possibly inaccurately, describing as the publishing sector, support the view that this is not a problem which can be solved by libraries. Interestingly, this need to cooperate across traditional boundaries has already manifested itself within the National Library. It has been discovered that the existing organisational structure presents some barriers to developing effective procedures. The wide diversity of areas involved is reflected in the NLA staff present here today. There are representatives from Preservation, National Collaboration, Selection, Technical Services and Information Technology. Please do not feel overwhelmed. I would also like to emphasise that the NLA has not come to this meeting with fixed outcomes in mind. It is to be a consultative meeting.

What was the catalyst for this meeting?

  • Capturing the Rainbow - National Preservation Office Conference 1995
  • Statement of Principles on the Preservation of and Long-Term Access to Australian Digital Objects
Cooperation
Role of creator
Distributed responsibility
Appraisal
Rights
Strategies
Role of Government
  • PADI: Preserving Access to Digital Information
  • National and international developments
National Strategy for Provision of Access to Australian Electronic Publications: An NLA Position Paper
NLA’s work with floppy disks (see Migration Trials: Migrating publications on floppy disk to CD-R)
Discussions with SLNSW and SLV regarding cooperative research
National and International activities including copyright and legal deposit activity

The NPO’s 1995 Conference examined a range of issues associated with multimedia preservation. One of the main outcomes of that meeting was the development of a set of Statement of Principles on the Preservation of and Long-Term Access to Australian Digital Objects. These principles have been accepted by all who participated in the conference - a group which consisted of librarians, archivists, publishers and several relevant peak body organisations. We are working on the assumption that the Principles will be the underlying foundation for future action.

PADI is a cross-sectoral group working together to produce an evolving Web site which provides guidance for preserving information in a digital form.

Preparation for meeting

  • Surveys
Deposit libraries
Publishers
  • Electronic dissemination of information and discussion on NATSTATLIBs (a closed discussion list)
  • Decision on invitation list and on agenda for meeting
  • Distribution of Principles

What can we expect to achieve?

We are interested in the concept of libraries acquiring more rights over time to extend to physical-format materials through mechanisms which do not threaten the commercial return of publishers in respect of these materials.

  • From Day 1
Agree on key principles
Develop an improved understanding between libraries and publishers of the concerns and constraints of each
Improve communication between all concerned
Reduce any potential or perceived threat to publishing industry by libraries
Clarify the role and purpose of legal deposit
Establish goodwill and attempt to set in place procedures for cooperation
  • From Day 2
Formalise existing cooperative arrangements
Agree to work together on a national strategy
Agree on the basic elements of a national model for preservation of physical-format digital publications
Develop an action plan

What is likely to happen after the meeting?

  • A variety of activities
Institutional (increasingly involving cooperation between different parts of an organisation)
Cooperative (involve a variety of organisations, publishers, other creators and governments)
  • Need to monitor activities to establish a national picture
NIAC - National Initiatives and Collaboration Branch of the National Library will be a catalyst and coordinator
  • Build on the achievements of this meeting
  • Initiate procedures for developing increased cooperation in preserving on-line materials

Comments or queries can be directed to:

Charu Sood
National Initiatives and Collaboration Branch
National Library of Australia
Telephone: +61 (0)2 6262 1571
Facsmile: +61 (0)2 6273 4535
E-mail: csood@nla.gov.au


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Last updated 12 November 1997
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