It's about Time: Research Challenges in Digital Archiving and Long-term Preservation, II

Abstract

Recognizing repeated concerns over the current state of knowledge about long-term digital preservation, the National Science Foundation and the Library of Congress convened a workshop entitled “Research Challenges in Digital Archiving and Long-term Preservation” in April 2002. The main goals of the workshop were to identify the research challenges in digital archiving and long-term preservation; set priorities for research based on input from stakeholders; and propose mechanisms that could build a community of researchers and foster cross-fertilization among research projects. The workshop consisted of plenary presentations and discussions of the various challenges in digital archiving as well as small group sessions to define and set priorities for research. It also provided an opportunity for experts in computer science, mass storage systems, archival science, digital libraries, and information management to discuss obstacles to preserving digital information with government managers and other stakeholders. This report presents a summary of the workshop discussions and recommendations for future research projects.