Lucius Van Moeseke

Digital Preservation: Silver Bullet or Trojan Horse? Lucius Van Moeseke

The steady growth of digital information as a component of library and archives collections has significant implications for these institutions, none more significant, perhaps, than those related to preservation. There is a tacit assumption that these institutions will preserve the information they create or that is entrusted to their care. Digital technology, however, is fragile and evanescent. From a preservation perspective, it is fraught with complex technical issues for which no solutions have yet been found. The crux of the problem is that given the amount of information that already exists in digital form and the brevity of its projected lifespan, institutions cannot afford to wait for optimal solutions. Most are, therefore, having to cope with the situation using less than desirable strategies ? that is, if they are addressing digital preservation issues at all. The result, either way, is that much of the information of our time is in danger of becoming irretrievable. This book examines in detail the challenges posed by digital technology in regards to preservation, and critically discusses the strategies or solutions that have been suggested for dealing with them.