[PADG:1549] ALA Midwinter PARS Reformatting Discussion Group

["Walter Cybulski" <CYBULSKW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The ALCTS/PARS Reformatting (Analog / Digital) Discussion Group has been 
scheduled for Saturday, January 19th, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  The location 
is listed as MONT / Iberville, but I would advise everyone to check the program 
when you get there to make sure.
 
1. The first topic is the Digital Library Federation (DLF) "Draft Benchmark 
for Digital Reproductions of Printed Books and Serial Publications" <A 
href="http://www.digilib.org/standards/draftbmark.htm";>http://www.digilib.org/standards/draftbmark.htm. ; 
It is hoped that DLF Director, Dan Greenstein, will be able to join us to 
present an overview of the DLF Registry and discuss the context in which the DLF 
Draft Benchmark has emerged.  Harvard's Steve Chapman will lead subsequent 
discussion of the potential application of the benchmark as a digital 
reformatting guideline.
 
2. There is one other topic for open discussion.  Lydia Preiss, 
Collection Preservation Manager at the National Library of Australia in 
Canberra, asked me inquire of ALCTS/PARS members what their current thinking is 
regarding "the future of microform for preservation and access in an 
increasingly digital world."  Ms. Preiss notes that the National Library of 
Australia (NLA) "is currently developing a digital object management system [ 
for] digital collections ... the NLA has  a high commitment to digital 
preservation, has a Digital Preservation Policy and a Digital Preservation 
Surrogate Strategy ... in view of which the NLA is currently reviewing the 
ongoing role and future of microform reformatting."  Ms. Preiss expresses 
her concern that libraries "will need to choose between microform and digital 
reformatting for preservation and access because they won't have the funding to 
do both."
 
Walter Cybulski
Chair, PARS Reformatting (Analog/Digital) Committee
c/o Preservation & Collection Management Section
National Library of Medicine
Bldg. 38, Room B1-E21
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
301-496-2690
fax 301 496-2864