ERIC ED401947: Commission on Preservation and Access Newsletter, 1996.

55 Pages·1996·1.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
IR 056 223
ED 401 947
Commission on Preservation and Access Newsletter,
TITLE
1996.
Commission on Preservation and Access, Washington,
INSTITUTION
DC.
ISSN-1045-1919
REPORT NO
PUB DATE
96
54p.; For the 1995 newsletter (issues 74-77, 79-84),
NOTE
see ED 389 323.
Serials (022)
Collected Works
PUB TYPE
Commission on Preservation and Access Newsletter;
JOURNAL CIT
n85-94 Jan-Dec 1996
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Access to Information; *Archives; Documentaries;
DESCRIPTORS
*Electronic Text; Fair Use (Copyrights); Foreign
Countries; Information Retrieval; *Information
Storage; International Programs; Libraries; Library
Cooperation; Newsletters; *Preservation; Printed
Materials; Records Management
Canada; *Commission on Preservation and Access;
IDENTIFIERS
Digital Technology; National Endowment for the
Humanities; Paper Deacidification; Russia
ABSTRACT
The Commission on Preservation and Access was
established to foster and support collaboration among libraries and
allied organizations in order to ensure the preservation of the
published and documentary record in all formats and to provide
enhanced access to scholarly information. The Commission's newsletter
keeps preservation and access personnel updated on current national
and international developments, issues, and technologies in the
field. This document contains 10 issues of the newsletter published
in 1996 (July-August and November-December are combined issues).
Highlights include: a report on the archiving of digital information
(January); a conference of the Commission of the European Union and
the Task Force on Digital Information on long-term access to
electronic publications (February); a report on cooperative
preservation in Canada, and the Council on Library Resources'
statement on fair use (March); excerpts from testimony in support of
the National Endowment for the Humanities, stressing the importance
of the federal role in preservation (April); a documentary on the
preservation of information in the electronic age, and the formation
of a task force on Hispanic literary heritage (May); a report
proposing strategies for digital archiving (June); recommendations
for National Digital Library Federation (NDLF) leadership roles in
discovery and retrieval, intellectual property rights and economic
models, and archiving of digital information (July-August); NDLF
constituted as a charter organization (September); a paper focusing
(October); and a report on mass
on preservation challenges in Russia
deacidification, and the first meeting of the conjoint board of the
Commission on Preservation and the Council on Library Resources
(November-December). (SWC)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
The Commission on Preservation and
Access Newsletter:
Numbers 85-94, 1996
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
M.K. Sitts
2
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
-
ISSN I 045- 1 9 1 9
on
The Commission
Preservation and Access
Ine'AccumulatecLHEimary. ecord A4FarInto Tpe FUture::
Ensuring. Access--
i.
ett
- e
JANUARY 1996
NUMBER
,
Report Introduces Approach to
WWW Pages
Available to Public
Environmental Monitoring
The Commission has inaugu-
new method for monitoring the
of storage environments for paper,.pho-
tografihic, and magnetic tape collec-
rated World Wide Web pages
effects of dynamic environmen-
available to the public at
tions, indeed for any type of organic
1 conditions on organic mate-
material. New Tools for Preservation
the following address:
rials promises to make it easier
and,
in many cases, cheaper
illustrates the concept, with examples
for,libraries
and explains how relatively small
and archives to maintain long-term
http://www-cpa.stanforcLedu/cpa.html
changes in storage conditions can
access to their collections. The new
result in significant improvements in
approach to preservation management
mmission on
applies to the many types of scholarly
the useful life of collections. In many
cases, it will be possible to both save
resources for which research and acad-
ervation
emic institutions are responsible. The
money and maintain access for longer
Access
Image Permanence Institute (IPI),
periods of time.
Rochester, NY, has devel-
The concepts offered in
oped the method with
The home page introduces the
the new report represent a
continuing trend toward
Commission's basic programs and pro-
funding from the National
utilization of scientific
Endowment
the
for
vides links to other information about
Humanities' Division of
the Commission's initiatives. The full
principles in preservation
management. In early
texts of newsletters and many past
Preservation and Access.
In addition to preparing.
reports also are available. An .online
1994, the Commission's
report described
Order Form is provided for WWW
Preservation
the
Science'
users
print-off
obtain
and
to
below, IPI is designing an
Council (PSC) put forward
electronic instrument for
six high-priority research
Commission publications; Another fea-
projects, most dealing
ture enables users to conduct quick
environmental' monitoring.
report,
keyword
The
searches
the
of
with the theme of under-
New
all
Tools for Preservation.
standing and using the
Commission's online documents. Links
Assessing Long-Term Environmental
are being developed to WWW sites of
storage environment to better advan-
Effects on Library and ArChives
Cont. on p. 3, See WWW Page
tage. The PSC also identified an urgent
need for more management tools by
Collections (November-1995, 35 pages),
INSIDE Realizing Benefits. from Inter -
introduces the concept of the Time
which critical relationships, such as the
Institutional Agreements-- an insert . on
one between the rate of chemical
Weighted Preservation Index (TWPI).
reporCof. the
the impliCations of the
This new technology represents a fur-
change and environmental conditions, -
Digital
Task Force on Archiving' of
ther evolution of the philosophy
could be understood and applied in
Information. Donald), Waters; co-chair
embodied in Donald Sebera's Isoperms,
practice.
of the task force, pn;serited this paper
An Environmental Management Tool
New Tools for Preservation is available, while
Research.
during the Association of
supplies last, for $10.00 (prepayment required)
(June 1994). Both reports were pub-
Libraries (ARL) Anhual Membership
from the Commission; or Image Permanence
lished 'by the Commission. The TWPI
Meeting. October 10,.1995. The execu-
Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, 70
provides a new-way to measure and
report can be found
tive summary of the
Lomb Memorial Dr., Rochester, NY 1423-5604.
quantify how temperature and humidity
in the October 1995 newsletter (#83).
Sponsors of the Commission receive reports at
changes affect the preservation quality
no charge. La
suite 740
1400 16th Street,
Washington, DC 20036-2217- Telephone: [phone] -Fax: [phone]
NW,
3
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
ECPA Receives Grant, Plans International Conference
during .the group's October 22-23,
European
lishing selection criteria, and choosing
The
1995, meeting at the Royal Academy.
the best method for preservation?
Commission on
National policies: How can
Preservation
Choosing To Preserve: Towards a
Cooperative Strategy for Long-Term
national institutions fulfill their task of
and Access (ECPA), for-
preserving the national cultural her-
mally constituted
Access to the Intellectual Heritage is the
in
theme of an upcoming international
itage in practice, and how does their
March 1994, has received
conference organized by the ECPA,
work relate to the management of col-
a grant of 1.5 million
together with Die Deutsche Bibliothek
lections of local, regional or transna-
Swedish crowns (about
Leipzig/Frankfurt am Main. The confer-
tional importance?
5220,000 U.S.) from the Marianne and
-International cooperation: How
ence is scheduled to take place at the
Marcus Wallenberg Foundation. The
can the work of each country to pre-
Haus des Buches in Leipzig March 29-
grant provides partial operational sup-
30, 1996. A delegation from the U.S.
serve its national heritage be comple-
port over the next three years for the
of others and
rnented by that
non-profit organization, which is
Commission will meet with the ECPA
housed at the Royal Netherlands
on the preceding day.
duplication of efforts be avoided?
Keepers and users: How-can
In announcing the conference, the
Academy of Arts and Sciences in
scholars, as the most important group
ECPA stated:
Amsterdam.
of users, be made to realize what is at
Millions of books and documents
As representatives from archives,
in libraries and archives are
stake and how exactly can they con-
libraries and the academic community,
threatened by embrittlement
tribute to the debate?
ECPA members all are involved in pro-
The Haus des Buches in Leipzig,
through acidification. The accu-
jects concerning preservation and
where the conference will be held, is a
mulated knowledge they contain
access in national and international
will be irretrievably lost unless
newly founded institute that promotes
contexts. Given the role of the ECPA as
activities on books and reading. The
large-scale programmes are initi-
a platform for joint European initia-
conference will take place during the
ated to safeguard the intellectual
tives, the need for strong cooperation
with organizations and institutions
Leipzig Book Fair, which attracts many
heritage and keep it accessible for
visitors from the book trade and the
future generations.
working in the field is central to dis-
At the conference, 16 experts from
library world every year.
cussions about future activities. Recent
For information and registration
developments in Europe, such as
Europe and the U.S. will present their
forms, contact:
views on the possibilities for develop-
research on legal deposit of electronic
European Commission on Preservation
ing coordinated preservation policies
publications and long-term availability
and Access
and for international cooperation in
of digital information, were of interest
attn Yola de Lusenet
this area. The aim is to come to gener-
P.O.Box 19121 NL-1000 GC AMSTERDAM
al recommendations to preserve paper-
The Netherlands
based materials from the 19th and 20th
tel. ++ 31-20-5510 839
The Commission on Preservation and Access ,
centuries. Discussions will center on
fax ++ 31-20-6204 941
1400 16th Street; NW Suite 740
the following topics:
Washington,DC 20036-2217
email ECPA @BUREAU.KNAW.NL
Institutional policies: How do
[phone]
.
FAX [phone]
individual institutions deal with the
For more information on the ECPA,'refer to
complex task of setting priorities, estab-
the March 1995 newsletter (No. 76).
The Commission on Preervation and
Access was established in 1986 to foster and
support collaboration among libraries and
allied organizations in order 'to ensure the
Film and Video to Highlight Information
preservation of the published and documen-
in Digital Environment
tary record in all formats and to provide
enhanced access to scholarly information.
and the
that is created, stored, and distributed
Commission
e
The newsletter reports on cooperative
y
national and international activities and is
American Council of Learned
electronically:
directed to university administrators, scholars,
The project has received funding
Societies (ACLS) are developing
and faculty; preservation specialists and man-
from three sources: The National
a film and video focusing on the
agers; and members olconsonia,. governmen-
cal bodies, and. other groups. sharing in she
Endowment for the Humanities (NEH),
preservation of and access to informa-
Commission's goali. The newsletter is not
the Xerox Corporation;and the Alfred
tion in a digital environment. A one-
copyrighted.' Its duplication is encouraged.
P. Sloan Foundation. The goals of the
hour broadcast film and a 30-minute
video version will be created to alert
joint project, as defined .by ACLS and
Deanna B. Marcum - President .
Maxine K. Sifts- Editor.
broad audiences to the urgent need to
the Commission, are three:
ensure continuing access to knowledge
Cont. on p. 4, See film
January 1996
The Commission on-Preservation and Access
Number 85
2
Realizing Benefits from Inter-Institutional Agreements:
The Implications of the Draft Report of the Task Force on Archiving.:.
of. Digital. Information
by
Donald J. Waters
Associate University Librarian, Yale University
tbe Asiociation of Research Libraries
To achieve these goals, the Commission and RLG com-
. The following paper was presented at
(ARL) Membership Meeting _October 19, 1995, during a program titled
posed the Task Force Of members with a breadth of experi-
"Realizing Benefits from InterultzstitutionalAgrvements." This paper and other s
ence from a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds,
from the meeting are available on the ARL server:
including many from the research library community. The
WWW btip://aricntorgiari/proceedingS/127/waters.html
Task Force sponsors also asked that the group seek wide
Gopber//arl.cntorg:70/00/ari/proceedings/127/waters
input from other specialists and interested parties by issuing
The proceedings of the meeting will be published by ARL, 21 Dupont
a draft report, .distributing it widely, and inviting comment
Circle, Washington, DC 20036:
before composing a final report. We are now in the com-
ment phase, which ends October 31. I invite ARL as an orga-
In Over Our Heads
nization to comment on the report. I also appeal to each of
you individually to engage the substance of the draft report,
Roben Kagan. a Harvard psychologist, has recently
if you have not already done. so, to encourage your home
written a wonderful book that I would commend to
institution to do so in some form, and_to help us with com-
you for a variety of reasons. It is entitled In Over Our
Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Li/?. In this book,
ments, criticisms and suggestions.
Kagan retells the following tale, which some of you have no
To stimulate your attention to the issue of digital archiv-
doubt heard (Kagan 1994: 271). It is a story of a "mother get-
ing, I will, in the brief remarks that follow, attempt to cast
ting breakfast ready for her son on a school day," and it goes
the work of the Task Force in terms of the 'theme of the.
like this:
hour: How can we realize economic benefits through inter-
Hearing nothing indicating that he was up and get-
institutional agreements? I assume that you all are-most inter-
ested in economic and other benefits that could accrue in the
ting dressed. [the mother1 went to Iher son's1 room, only
nexus of activities which ARL has defined under the general
to find him in bed. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I'm
rubric of "scholarly communication." I hope to develop here
okay," he replied. "but I'm not going to school today!"
the argument- that inter-institutional agreements' regarding
Being a modern mother, she decided to engage him in
digital archiving will generate economy if and only if they
conversation. -Well, then." shesdemanded. "you give me
three good reasons why you aren't going to school."
are directed at each of at least three different dimensions of
the system of scholarly communication:
"Okay," said her son. "I don't like school. The teachers
don't like me. And I'm afraid of the kids." "Okay," said
agreements about
First, we need to forge
or renew
his mother now I'm going .to give you three good rea-
the centrality of archiving in the processof scholarly com-
sons why you are going to school. Number one. 'I'm your
munication.
mother and I say that school is important. Number two,
you're foray -five years old. And number three, you're the,
Second, we need to affirm the utility of a systematic
principal of the school!
approach to the development of digital archiving.
The problems and prospects of archiving.digital informa-
Third. we need to set the mechanics of digital archiving in
tion have made many of us feel like the school principal in
motion as a pervasive and trusted foundation for cultural
this story: better to stay home in familiarsurroundings
discourse that includes scholarly communication.
the comfort of a warm bed and Moni fixing breakfast in the
than to face what seems .like a terrifyingly uncer-
kitchen
The Ends of Archiving
tain, expensive and time-consuming effort. The Commission
Any discourse about economy, about the efficient man-
on Preservation -and Access and the Research Libraries
Group (RLG) created the Task Force on the Archiving of
agement of scarce resources toward valued ends; is ultimate-
ly a discourse about values. Agreements about digital
Digital Information to help relieve building anxiety about
archiving that generate economic value must of course be
digital archiving. The Task Force sponsors asked it to frame
able to answer the central question: Of What value or- good
digital archiving as a set of problems and tasks and to sug-
gest an orderly, perhaps even manageable, approach to
is archiving and why shotild any scarce resources be pushed
its way? This is a difficult question about purpose. that. may
their resolution.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
January 1996
The Commission on Preservation and Access
obligation -to convey the results of research, and an .affinna-
immediately open questions about and prompt defenses of
tion of the continuity of the intellectual life, upon. which
particular forms of organization for archiving. In considering
each generation builds and to which it contributes in' turn
the answer, however, we must separate issues of purpose
(ibid: 32-56). .Building on this set of first principles, Pelikan
and function from those of organization.
argues that the advancement of knowledge through research,
the- transmission of knowledge through teaching, the diffu-
I note in passing here that the Task Force report consis-
sion of knowledge through publishing, and the preservation
tently equates long-term preservation with archiving, and
of knowledge in scholarly collections are the four legs sup-
identifies digital archives, rather than digital libraries, as the
porting any table made for the pursuit of knowledge; they
unit of activity for the long-term preservation' of digital mate-
particularly support the table that has come to be knoWn as
I maintain this usage here. We all know that many
rials.
the research university (ibid: 16-17, 78-133)
libraries do frequently assume responsibility for the long-
term preservation of the record of knowledge, but we have
Invoking the 19th-century phrasing of John Henry
come to designate those that exercise such responsibility as a
Newman, Pelikan goes on to suggest that support for teach:
matter of course with special semantic markers, as in the
ing, research and publication constitutes the "endowment of
phrase "research library." Moreover, although we now refer
living [genius]" while efforts to preserve, -or archive, knowl-
to "digital libraries," discussion of such entities to date has
edge by 'organizations like libraries, museums and archives,
made almost no reference to the long term value of the con-
represent "the embalming of dead genius" (ibid: 110). Lest
tent nor to the mechanisms that might be employed to pre-
the connotations of these phrases give- you pause, note that
serve such value over time. Rather than use the semantically
Pelikan is careful to distinguish embalming from entombing
marked phrase that Peter Graham (1995) has suggested,
and his use of "embalming" is a colorful synonym for preser-
namely the "digital research library," we have adopted the
vation and archiving which he takes to include all of the
simpler designation of "digital archive."
means necessary to make knowledge accessible to present
and future generations. Moreover, he vigorously argues that
In answer to the question about the value of archiving,
"new knowledge has repeatedly- collie through confronting
the Task Force report opens by invoking the principle that
the old, in the process of which both old and new have
depends on the quality of its record
any culture
culture
been transformed" (ibid 120). The two' motives at work in
of knowledge. If that record is defective, as it will be if
what we today call the process of scholarly communication
urgent attention is not given widely to the preservation of
embalming and endowment of genius, the looking back-
information in digital form, then the quality of the culture is
ward in preservation and the looking forward in research,
also at risk (Task Force 1995: 1-2). This "culture at risk" argu-
thus are Inextricably linked and
teaching and publication
ment for the preservation of digital information may be suffi-
flow from the principle that the pursuit of knowledge is its
cient for the Task Force report. However, it does not provide
own end: preserved work from past- generations is a neces-
a sufficiently strong and compelling case about the economic
sary foundation for present and future work, which in turn
motives that might drive actors, like ARL member libraries, to
defines the accessibility of the preserved work.
invest aggressively in the preservation of digital information.
If we accept Pelikan's argument that knowledge is its own
The stronger case of economic motive requires us to iden-
end and that the broadly defined function of preserving or
tify the principles underlying a knowledge economy 'and to
archiving the record of knowledge is essential to the scholar-
demonstrate the place of archiving among them. The basic
ly communication proCess, then where is the archiving func-
principle that enables us to regard the knowledge economy
tion in the calculus of the emerging knowledge economy?. A
as a construct separate from other kinds of economy is the
story that we in ARL seem to be constructing about scholarly
notion that the pursuit of knowledge is its own end. As I
communication from the point of view of- research libraries is
craft the stronger case' of economic motive for your review, I
that the service we provide of preserving knowledge is
hisforian,
turn for. help to the work of the great Yale religious
increasingly held hostage by a tangled web of external fac-
Jaroslav Pelikan, who.has produced one of the most elo-
tors and agents. The story lends itself to apocalyptic tones. It
quent recent defenses of the pursuit of knowledge as its own
focuses on an outmoded tenure process that is dependent on
end; rather than for the utility it provides.
research and teaching in increasingly narrow fields of spe-
cialization and is coupled to 'a system of publication gov-
In The Idea of the University: A Reexamination (1992),
erned by an oligarchy of avaricious publishers intent on
Pelikan critically examines the .principle of knowledge as its
maintaining profit' levels by controlling 'pricing. and gutting
for educa-
own end and argues that it provides the rationale
the copyright regulations of provisions that might limit the
tion generally, and for the university in particular. Moreover,
compensation the publishers receive for the intellectual
according to.Pelikan-,- the principle of knowledge as its own
property they control. Given a set of problems flurried in this-
end is. merely one of a more comprehensive set of first prin-
way, the solutions we have invented include sweeping
ciples that he calls the "intellectual virtues." These virtues are
reform of the outmoded tenure process, take-back-the-night
essential for the. pursuit of knowledge .as its own end, and
approaches to copyright and large-scale cuts in .acquisitions
include principles of free inquiry and intellectual honesty, an
January 1996
The Commission on Preservation and Access
If all these hypotheses are plausible, then do we not also
budgets on university campuses, and the metamorphoses of
.
scholars and/or libraries into entrepreneurial publishers
need to say bluntly that our own unwillingness or inability, as
archival institutions to provide a trustworthy archival record
eager to compete with the big guys. There are many useful
of substantially changed and changing intellectual activity is
themes and innovations embodied in these solutions. MoSt of
itself a critical barrier to the rehabilitation and renewal of a
them, however, stray far from -the touchstone principle of
viable (read: affordable) system of scholarly communication?
institutional interest among research libraries in preserving
The process of. coming to terms with each other, with our
knowledge for future generations of scholars.
academic colleagues and with publishers about the invest-
ment we must make in the system of scholarly cornmunica-
Can we instead generate an hypothesis about the current
tion and the savings that we must extract from that system is
state of schOlarly communication that frames the problems
essentially a coming to terms about the centrality of archiv-
in terms of preserva-
directly -- or at least more directly
in the pursuit of
the embalming pf dead genius
tion? I believe that we can. Let us imagine that the core
ing
knowledge. But these understandings and agreements can-.
problem in the scholarly communication process for at least
not be achieved immediately. And this brings me to my sec-
a subset of scholarly disciplines is that the conventional pub-
ond point: that we need to affirm the utility of a systematic
lished record. simply does not adequately capture the intel:
approach to the development of digital archiving._
lectual action. The real' action occurs elsewhere: in on-line
databases, on-line exchanges of pre-prints, listservs and so
A Systematic Approach
on.. Conventional publication in these disciplines adds little
Value to the work that has already been disseniinated in
As we contemplate the archiving of digital information, we
have to understand that we are not seeking to fine tune some
other channels; rather it is a redundant process, undertaken
technical variables of a system that is already long in place.
the work.
to generate, in effect, a certified archival record of
Because the audience paying attention to the field has
While the goals are ultimately the same,. we are not placing
brittle books under a microfilm camera in a well-defined
already seen and absorbed the work in on-line versions, the
process. Instead, we are faced with what the Task Force
printed publication channel grows increasingly narrow, con-
report calls "a grander problem of organizing ourselves dyer
sisting primarily of libraries who serve as the archival institu-
tions. Because of the narrow market, costs and prices
time and as a society to maneuver effectively in. a digital land-
scape". (Task Force 1995: 4) The effort to meet . the cultural
Consequently rise on the supply side. On the demand side,
and economic imperatives of digital preservation requires us
libraries respond by cutting titles from their collections,
to build, almost from scratch, a system of infrastructure for
moving the record of knowledge naturally and confidently
There is clearly little logic. or economy in a 'process
into the future. The systematic approach, on which I believe
whereby scholars use printed publications to establish an
we need_ to agree in order to build this infrastructure, has at
archival record only to find that the institutions responsible
least two dimensions: the elements of the system and the
for ensuring that the archive endures for future generations
manner in which we interact to deploy those elements and
cannot afford to. purchase the publications.. Framed in this
construct the system and subsystems for digital archiving.
way, the problems in the scholarly communication system
are archival problems, and a focus on tenure, the mechanics
The various elements of *a system' for archiving ..digital_
of print publication, electronic versions of print publications,
the kinds of. information, the stakeholders
information
and institutional retention of copyright is looking for solu-
and the operational functions
are discussed at length in
or at least not in some'of the
tions in all the wrong places
the Task Force report. The discussion there is not :perfect,
right places. A focused archival solution might aim. instead to
nor have we identified all the factors that one might judge
capture the real intellectual activity -from the on-line places
relevant. We would welcome your assessment of our judg-
wherever it is now naturally, occurring and to ensure that
ments. However, it is perhaps less important that we have all
such activity is housed in certified, durable and readily acces-
'the factors perfectly in hand than that we adopt a systematic
sible archives. Where there is redundancy between print and
process to ensure that over. time we formulate and then con-
electronic form, as there increasingly Is in disciplines such as
firm or disconfirm hypotheses about the interrelation of
mathematics and physics where pre-print markets flourish,
those elements and, in so doing, that we measurably.
might not such a solution save scholars, publishers, libraries
improve our archival capabilities for digital information.
and universities the trouble and expense of writing, publish-
ing, collecting and financing in conventional print forms,
I also want to emphasize the manner in whiCh we inter-
merely to establish an.archival record? Given a digital archive
act to deploy these elements and 'to construct the system
system on which they can depend and which provides -real,
and subsystems for digital archiving. We must, on the One
tangible economic benefits,' scholars might not only be
.
hand, make a commitment to a complex iteration and reiter-
moved to change the way that they conduct scholarship but
ation of exploration; development and solution as the rele- .
also the mechanisms, such as tenure review, by' which they
vant factors and their inteffelatiOnships emerge and become
measure the quality of that work.
clearer and more tractable.. On the other hand, the manner
of 'our interaction in a systematic approach to digital archiv-
7
January 1996
The Commission on Preservation and Access
. .
ing must result in a complex division of. 9.bor. And this
a cooperative venture among multiple participating 'archives,
the project would provide a necessary testbed for developing
brings me to. my third and final point: that our agreements
to divide the labor as formal partners, as informal allies,
an on-line system of -linked but distributed archives. One of
the biggest unknowns in the digital environment is the full
even as competitors must substantially set in motion soon
impact of distributed computing over electronic networks.
and substantially the mechanics of digital archives as a per-
vasive and trusted foundation for cultural discourse that
However, as the Task Force report suggests in the section on
costs and finances, and as Dr. Bowen of the Mellon
includes scholarly communication.
Foundation has asserted earlier in his disCussion of the
The Mechanics of Digital Archives
JSTOR project, one of the greatest hopes for reducing costs
in the scholarly communication process. is the prospect of
Most .of . the Task Force recommendations for setting the"
achieving economies of scale in the storage and distribution
mechanics in motion invite substantial inter-institutional
of electronic information over electronic networks. We need
action. I draw your attention to three of these recommenda-
to verify these expectations of economic benefit in actual
tions. They each illustrate a different form of interaction and
experience with a range of materials.
they each yield a different kind of economic benefit.
Conclusion
First, the Task Force calls' for certified digital archives. In
I conclude by observing that the notions of archives and
itself, certification yields no direct economic benefit. Yet the
archiving today have much currency and import, even out-
process of certification is meant to create an overall climate
side the context in which we have been discussing them.
of value and of trust about the prospects of preserving digital
here. Just a week ago on October 8th in the New York Times
information. Repositories claiming to be digital archives in a
Magazine, William Safire devoted his "On Language" column
changing and uncertain environment must be able to prove
to the, topic of kids' slang. He advised that "if you want to
that they are who they say they are, and that they can deliver
stay On- the generational offensive, when_your offspring use
on the preservation _promise. The call for individuals and
the cliched gimme a break, you can top that expression of
organizations to agree to collaborate in the design and
sympathetic disbelief with jump back and the ever-popular
implementation of standards, criteria and mechanisms for
riposte whatever." However, he noted that some expressions,
certification, and for prospective digital archives to submit to
such as I'm' outta,here or I'm history, are now very much
the certification process, is a summons for the wider commu-
dated. I'm history, Satire quotes a forthcoming study of slang,,
nity to affirm the values -- at least in the abstract
of digi-
is "a parting phrase modeled on an underworld expression
tal preservation and ultimately of the pursuit of knowledge
referring 'to death," and it has both inspired" and been
as its own end.
replaced by the more trendy expression, I'm archives (Safire
The Task Force also emphasizes the need for a fail-safe
1995: 30).
mechanism in digital archives. Such a mechanism will enable
With regard to the future of digital information in the
a certified 'archival repository to exercise an aggressive res-
scholarly communications process, I have no doubt that the
cue function to save digital information that it judges to be
expression I'm archives will apply truthfully to all the insti-
culturally significant and which is endangered in its current
tutions represented in this room. The choice before us, both
repository. We may not know enough about the use of digi-
individually and collectively, is to decide in what sense it
tal information to reach consensus about what fair use of it
will apply.
is, but we do know .that 'one of the greatest dangers to its
long life is the ease with which it can be abandoned or
destroyed. If concerted action is needed in the intellectual
property arena to protect the rights necessary to support
teaching and research, then let us focus at least some of that
action on the development of the legal framework needed to
References
support a fail-safe mechanism for digital archives. The eco-
Graham, Peter "Requirements for the Digital Research Library."
nomic benefit of such action is, of course, not in the dollars
College and Research Libraries 56(4): 331-339.
it directly generates or saves, but in the environment it cre-
Kagan, Robert In Over-Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern
ates for achival institutions to do their job and to realize the
Life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
value of preserved work for future generations:
Pelikan, Jarislov -1992 The Idea of the University: A Reexamination.
New Haven: Yale- University Press.
Finally, I call attention to the Task Force recommendation
for a cooperative venture to preserve the documents, dis-
Safire, William 1995 "Kiduage." The New York Times Magazine.
course, software products and 'other digital information
October 8, 1995: 28, 30.
objects that serve to record the early digital age. Because the
_
Task Force on the Archiving of Digital Information Preserving
objects in this focal area are at such risk of loss, the project
Digital Information. Draft Report, Version 1.0. Washington, D.C:
could-provide a useful means of exploring the-actual opera-
Commission on preservation and Access and Mountain View, CA:
The Research Libraries Group, August 23, 1995.
tion of archival fail-safe mechanisms. Moreover, conceived as
8
January' 1996
The Commission on Preservation and Access
From the College Libraries Committee
Sponsors
Survey Provides Insights on Staffing,
Budgets for Preservation
n- the past month, the. fol-
lowing institutions have
joined the growing liSt of
Since its founding in 1988, the
of which reported having a full-time
sponSOrs of the Commission:
Commission's College Libraries
preservation administrator.
Committee (CLC has worked
Duke University
Staff Development
to address the needs of undergraduate
.
In the past five years, 76% of sur-
institutions with primary emphasis on
North Carolina Central
veyed libraries have enrolled one or
the preservation of and access to their
. University
.
more staff members 'in some form of
general collections. Last summer, with
North Carolina State
preseivation training outside the
the assistance Of a project consultant, .
University.
the CLC distributed a preservation sur-
library. Some 59% offer internal preser-
vation training to library staff, with a
vey to 300* college library. directors.
Universitj, of North
common focus on book repair and
Among the goals of the survey were:
Carolina, Chapel Hill..
handling/shelving techniques. New
to update the Commission's knowl-
technologies and disaster training are
The 61 sponsors include
edge of college library, preservation
identified as the two areas of greatest
efforts
libraries, archives, publisherS,
-_.
training need.
universities, colleges; and
toestablish benchmark data for col-
other allied organizations ded-
Preservation Priorities
lege library preservation activities
Over one third of respondents
icated 'to the- development of
to contribute to the establishment of
collaborative solutions to
(35%) indicate that preservation is a
preservation guidelineS and stan-
higher priority in their libraries than it
preservation and'access chal-
dards for college libraries
was five years ago. Most, attribute this
lenges. A brochure on, spon-
change to educational activities and
to identify library needs for preserva
sorship , is available' from the
other efforts to raise staff awareness
tion training and staff development
ComMission. ca
--,
that have, increased their abilities to
to assist 'in program development
address preservati9n concerns. In
for a spring 1996 workshop on digi-
some cases; a new director or other
tizing texts and images
staffing change has brought new
.
.
WWW Page Cont. from p.
to develop a continuing agenda for
expertise and added momentum to the
other organizations working on collabo-
library's preservation activities.
the College Libraries Committee
rative preservation and access projects.
Needs and Concerns
Visitors to the WWW page can con7
Over half (54%) of surveyed institu-
The chief limitation to addressing
tact Commission staff direCtly via email
tions responded, and the results offer
preservation concerns in college
from-the staff home page: The WWW
some valuable insights.
site is being developed and maintained
libraries is insufficient staffing. Limited
for the Commission by the Stanford
funding and competing institutional pri-
Funding
University Libraries. Under the agiee-
orities also are cited frequently as major
Sixty percent of respondents report-
ment, a home page also is available for
ed that between 1 and 4% of their
barriers. Environmental controls and'Col-
the Council on Library Resources,
budget allocation is designated for
lege archives are identified as the two
which affiliated with the Commissibn
most pressing preservation concerns.
preservation-related activities. Additional
-in April. TheCouncil's home page
sources of funding include grants, one-
address is:
time allocations from parent institu-
,
tions, network or consortium 'funding,
The College Libraries Committee
http://www-clrstanford.edukk.html
targeted endowments, and support
from friends groups and private
wishes to. acknowledge with gratitude
all Web pages,
As with
tile
the .-work of Consulting Archivist,
donors.
Commission's page is regularly revised
Victoria Irons Walch. A more complete
and corrected. Users are asked to send
analysis of survey results is planned for
Staffing
their suggested changes to, the
publication later in 1996. Complete
Surveyed libraries devote an aver-
results of the survey will be available
Commission's Communication. Program
age of .52FTE- staff to preservation.
202/939-3499; or
via U.S. mail; fax
This staffing level contrasts sharply
on the Commission's WWW site. Cla
email
[email protected]. C11
with that of 1993/94 ARL libraries, 53%
January 1996
The COmmission on Preservation and Access
Number 85
3
Deanna Marcum, president- of the
Stanley Katz,
Historical
Society;
Film Cont. from p. 2
Commission; and filmmaker Terry
President, American Council of Learned
to raise understanding and awareness
Sanders. George Farr, head-of the NEH
Societies; Peter Lyman, University
of the need to transform the manage-
Division- of Preservation and Access,
Librarian, University of California at
ment of electronic information;
also has been invited to join. La
Berkeley, and a member of the Board
to dramatize the very short lifespan
of the Council on Library Resources;
of electronic information and the
need to rethink how continuous
access will be provided; and
LC to Hold Preservation Awareness WorkshoPicir Public
. to portray the enormous potential of
digital technology for information,
.
.
capture, storage, distribution and
such as photographs and letters. The
The Library of Congress will mark
access.
National Library Week with a
staff will demonstrate different types of
Preservation Awareness Work- enclosures and boxes for storing mate-
The choice of film/video to drama-.
rial and provide information on the
shop on April 16, 1996. This event, co-
tize the potentials and risks of new
damage caused by humidity, tempera-
sponsored by the Library's. Center for
technologies derives from the award-
the Book and the
Preservation
ture, light, and atmospheric pollution
winning success of the earlier film, Slow
on paper-based material and on the ,
Directorate, will be free and Open to the
Fires, which was produced by the
different types of boxes; folders, and
public. It will take place in the Mumford
Council on Library Resources. Slow
'enclosures now available. A wide
Room, sixth floor of the Madison-
Fires did for the world of deteriorating
range_ of companies that manufacture
Building, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
and acidic paper what it is hoped the
and distribute conservation products
The Library of Congress is the largest
new film will do for the. world of elec-
will participate. The media are also
library in the world. It contains more
tronic information. Research on the
invited to participate in this educational
than 108-million items thatinclude more
upcoming film first began in January
workshop.
than 16 million books, 4 million maps,
1993, when the COMmission engaged
The Center for the Book in the
14 million photographs, 2 million sound
Terry Sanders of the American Film
Library of. Congress was established in
recordings, and 45 million "-Manuscripts.
Foundation, who produced Slow Fires,
1977 to stimulate public awareness
The mission of the Library's Preservation
to develop an outline during an initial
Directorate is to preserve these collec-
about the importance of books, reading,
conceptual phase. Last month, a Film
and libraries. For more information,
tions for future generations.
Steering Committee met for the first
National
contact:.
Smith,
Merrily
During this special National Library
time. Named to the committee are
Preservation Program Office, Library of
Week event, the Library of Congress is
Patricia Baffin, Commission consultant
Congress (LMG07), Washington, DC
inviting the public to come and learn
on digital projects; Douglas Greenberg,
about preserving their family treasures,
20540-45'40 Phone: [phone]. Oa
President and Director, Chicago
Adapted firon LC Press Release
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED: Please notify the Commission's Communication Program if there is an error in your address
if you do not wish to receive the newsletter, so we
or if you are receiving duplicate copies. Also, .please let us know
can remove your name from our mailing list: We are relying on your help to reduce costs.
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