A review of the preservation issues associated with documents

Abstract

In 1995, in what was to become one of the seminal pieces in the field of digital preservation, Rothenberg made the crucial observation that:Information technology is revolutionising our concept of record keeping in an upheaval as great as the introduction of printing, if not writing itself. The current generation of digital records has unique historical significance. Yet these documents are far more fragile than paper, placing the chronicle of our entire period in jeopardy (p24).Since this article appeared, many other commentators have voiced their concerns over the long term viability of digital documents and problems in their preservation. As a consequence, many believe that there is the real possibility that the cultural memory of the entire period of the latter 20th century and beyond may be lost. The purpose of this review is to examine the literature and assess the extent to which the concerns of Rothenberg and others are justified.