Class notes 9/28/10

In today’s class we discussed preservation.

What is preservation?

Preservation of paper objects:
• What’s more impt: object or content?
• Reproduction introduces errors
• Marginalia and “paratexts”: important?
• Who decides what to preserve?
• Digitization pros: access, search, fragility
• Digitization cons: errors, cost, format rot

Preservation of digital objects:
• Format lifespan: hardware, software
• Bigger issue w/born digital information
    – Produced in great volume
    – How to handle it?
• Managing access to and insuring the preservation of digital info are NOT the same
• Metadata is critical for findability

We also looked at the Google Books Library Project as a case study that exemplifies some of these issues: http://books.google.com/googlebooks/library.html

Preserving Digitally

In the last 20 years, digital technology has implemented us to create, use and build up by information in ways that were unthinkable generations ago.  According to Levi,he says “The same technological advances that make obtaining and sharing information so easy also pose some modern challenges.” I would agree with this because sometimes it is hard to keep up with the advanced of technology because of this idea of “reformatting”.

Many libraries and information centers now have digital asset management systems or digital archives for managing and storing digital objects. These digital objects focus on access management, or facilitating the day-to-day use of digital content for users. Levi expressed, “Digital preservation is a bout guaranteeing the future usability of and accessibility to digital content.” and I strongly agree with this because by preserving important information, we are keeping information in stability

I like the ending of this article, as Benjamin Franklin said “You may delay, but time will not.” Today’s digital preservation systems can be improved and libraries,information centers,universities and other institutions around the world are moving forward and Levi, feels it’s time to join them and I couldn’t agree more.

– Jessica Deng