You have requested a page that has been archived. It has been left at this URL to ensure the persistence of links that have been made to it from other resources. It may contain broken links and out-of-date information.
You have requested a page that has been archived. It has been left at this URL to ensure the persistence of links that have been made to it from other resources. It may contain broken links and out-of-date information.
The first national conference of the National Preservation Office (now part of the National Initiatives and Collaboration (NIAC) Branch) and associated workshops were held at the State Library of South Australia, 3-7 May. The conference was titled Preservation Microfilming: Does it Have a Future? The conference attracted about 90 delegates representing the library, archival and records management communities, the commercial sectors and some community groups. Delegates came mainly from Australia, with some from New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore.
The National Library invited and funded two high profile international speakers to deliver keynote papers and to participate in the conference. Ralph Manning of the National Library of Canada described the Canadian Cooperative Preservation Microfilming Project, and Anne Kenney of Cornell University set the stage for discussions about the role of microfilming in a digital future with a paper entitled 'From Analog to Digital: Preservation Reformatting in a Changing World'.
Speakers at the conference addressed a variety of topics including: comparisons between national and international practices, approaches to microfilm production in different collecting institutions and organisations, interesting case studies, and new technologies. The delegates affirmed that preservation microfilming has an ensured future, especially in a climate where imaging technology is changing so rapidly.
Issues identified in the conference resolutions include the need for cooperation and for dissemination of information about microfilming practices, projects and standards. The National Library has been ascribed carriage or a coordinating role for many of the resolutions.
Two workshops were conducted in conjunction with the conference. The first covered basic, introductory topics while the second emphasised decision processes and best practice. The first workshop was poorly attended, with some last minute cancellations due to people having double-booked into the seminar conducted by the State Library of New South Wales on the same day. Also, the workshop probably needed to be promoted differently. The second workshop was well attended and was evaluated exceptionally favourably by the majority of participants.
The conference proceedings have been published and order forms are available from Sales and Distribution, National Library of Australia.
It is hoped the conference will stimulate interest in the National Library's offer to enter into cooperative microfilming projects.
See also: Summary of National Microfilming Activities at the National Library of Australia
Return to NIAC - Conferences page
Return to NIAC - Preserving Access to Documentary Heritage Page
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA, Canberra, ACT 2600,
AUSTRALIA, ABN: 28 346 858 075
Telephone + 61 2 6262 1111; Facsimile +61 2
6257 1703; TTY: 1800 026 372