Report on digital archiving

RLG and CPA issue Draft Report of the Task Force on Digital
Archiving

In December 1994, the Commission on Preservation and Access and the
Research Libraries Group created the Task Force on Digital
Archiving. The purpose of the Task Force is to investigate the means
of ensuring "continued access indefinitely into the future of
records stored in digital electronic form."  The Task Force has
issued its draft report, which it considers a work in progress, and
now seeks comment from the community.  In the words of the Task
Force co-chairs, John Garrett and Don Waters:

   "We believe that the dialogue that grows from the circulation of
    this draft will sharpen its content and help identify
    additional, practical and affordable ways to contribute to the
    information infrastructure."

This is precisely the dialogue RLG and the Commission wished to
encourage.  The Commission and RLG are making the draft report,
entitled "Preserving Digital Information," widely available in paper
and electronic form.  Paper copies are being sent to RLG Member
Representatives and ShaRes and PRESERV liaisons and to Commission
contacts.  Electronic versions will soon be available from the RLG
FTP server and our Web site.

    Web URL:  http://www-rlg.stanford.edu/ArchTF/
    FTP server:  lyra.stanford.edu
    Adobe Acrobat version:  /pub/ArchTF/Draft-Report.pdf
    Microsoft Word version:  /pub/ArchTF/Draft-Report.doc
    ASCII version:  /pub/ArchTF/Draft-Report.txt

The Task Force has opened a listserv to support the dialogue;
instructions for subscribing may be found at the end of the
Executive Summary in the report.  I urge you to participate in this
important discussion.

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 9:24
                Distributed: Saturday, September 9, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-9-24-002
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