A Hybrid Systems Approach to Preservation of Printed Materials

This report, prepared at the request of the Technology Assessment Advisory Committee (TAAC), is one of a series alerting the Commission on Preservation and Access and others to developments and possibilities within the context of national and international initiatives for preservation of and access to information printed on disintegrated paper and other substrates.

The paper was subjected to a pre-publication review by TAAC members, although it remains principally the work of Don Willis, Vice President, Electronic Product Development, University Microfilm International. TAAC hopes that this publication will spark additional thinking, discussion and progress regarding reformatting technologies and that it will contribute to our collective understanding of how preservation and access needs can be addressed by emerging technologies.

NOTE: Definitions of most technical terms appear in M. Stuart Lynn's glossary, Preservation and Access Technology/The Relationship Between Digital and Other Media Conversion Processes, published by the Commission on Preservation and Access, August 1990.

Acknowledgments: The author would like to thank Heinz Dettling, Bob Mottice, Rick Closner, John Brooks, and Elaine Cavin for their help and critical review, also Hosni Adra for preparing the image enhancement exhibits. The author is particularly grateful to Kaitlin Hanger, Tina Creguer and Keri Bryan for their graphic and editorial work. An finally, the author would like to thank various members of the committee for their input an direction--in particular Rowland C W Brown, who helped tremendously with the structure and presentation of this work.

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Issues
Costs
Recommendations
Appendix A: Resolution -- A Key Design Parameter
Appendix B: A Summary of Storage Possibilities
Appendix C: Table--Data Storage Costs
Appendix D: Table--Preservation Cost Summary
Appendix E: Standards
Figures
Notes

A private, nonprofit organization acting on behalf of the nation's libraries, archives, and universities to develop and encourage collaborative strategies for preserving and providing access to the accumulated human record.

Reports issued by the Commission on Preservation and Access are intended to stimulate thought and discussion. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Commission members.

Additional copies are available from the above address for $10.00. Orders must be prepaid, with checks made payable to "The Commission on Preservation and Access," with payment in U.S. funds.

This paper has been submitted to the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information Resources.

COPYRIGHT 1992 by the Commission on Preservation and Access. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transcribed in any form without permission of the publisher. Requests for reproduction for noncommercial purposes, including educational advancement, private study, or research will be granted. Full credit must be given to the author(s) and The Commission on Preservation and Access.