Digital archiving

The Research Libraries Group and OCLC Online Computer Library Center
have begun discussing ways the two organizations can cooperate to
create infrastructures for digital archiving.

As a first step, OCLC and RLG have begun to collaborate on two
working documents to establish best practices.  Attributes of a
Digital Archive for Research Repositories will outline the
characteristics of reliable archiving services, and Preservation
Metadata for Long-Term Retention will propose approaches for
descriptive and management metadata needed in the long-term
retention of digital files.  RLG and OCLC will bring key players
together to review progress to date and identify common practices
among those most experienced in the archiving arena.  The draft
working papers will then be reviewed by key stakeholders around the
world.

The papers are expected to serve as a basis for further exploration
of roles and responsibilities of RLG, OCLC and others.

Research repositories globally are working to develop
infrastructures for identifying, acquiring, managing and accessing
digital materials. Organizational models for successful digital
archives being tested  Europe, Australia and North America hold
promise for institutional and collaborative approaches to a wide
range of operations and facilities.

   "OCLC has long recognized the importance of digital archiving to
    libraries, and over the last few years has initiated several
    projects to explore technologies OCLC might use to provide
    long-term access to digital materials," said Jay Jordan, OCLC
    president and CEO.  "This partnership with RLG holds great
    potential for libraries around the world.

   "Long-term retention of digital research resources is one of
    RLG's three top priorities in the new decade," said James
    Michalko, RLG's president.  "We all know that effective
    solutions to problems in digital archiving require different
    players to apply their strengths and perspectives in
    complementary ways.  I'm pleased that OCLC and RLG are doing
    just that."

The draft documents will be made available on the RLG and OCLC Web
sites, and comments will be invited from interested parties before
final publication.  More information is available from Nancy
Elkington, RLG program officer <nee [at] notes__rlg__org>, or Meg
Bellinger, president, Preservation Resources <bellingm [at] oclc__org>.

For more information:

    Jennifer Hartzell
    650-691-2207
    jlh [at] notes__rlg__org

    Nita Dean
    614-761-5002
    nita_dean [at] oclc__org


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:47
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 14, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-13-47-021
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