[PADG:1211] Archiving e-resources (for which you have perpetual access)

["Grant, Tyra" <tgrant@xxxxxx>]

Colleagues,

I'm in a bit over my head with this but need to learn.  I hope my questions are reasonably clear.  If not, steer me right. 

 

Background:  In the past, we've received CDs or DVDs from vendors (containing generally xml files of purchased titles).  These CDs or DVDs were to be archive copies that would provide us perpetual access to the content we'd purchased (as agreed upon in our contract).  Now we're preparing to purchase some additional titles from a vendor and we have a choice (for perpetual access) between a DVD or downloadable XML files. 

 

I confess, we have no "program" for managing all the various DVDs, CDs, manuals etc. (I'm sure you know) that we've accumulated over the years and that presumably are archival versions of purchased content (Oy ve!).  We want to create a more structured process (that spans from attending more closely to our contract or license guidelines to archiving and/or eventual access to files we may need to access some day).

 

I've prepared the following:

 

Questions about managing (archiving) e-resources (for which you will have been granted perpetual access):

 

1.    Has your library developed broad program(s) to help conceptually (and actually) manage preserving e-resources (for which you have been granted perpetual access)?  How important do you consider this?

 

2.    If yes (to #1, and recognizing the many models of contract language being used) has your library developed guidelines or standards for contract language that you feel do a better-than-average job nailing down long term access to files that you've purchased? Have you done this as an individual institution or consortially?

 

3.    Are you considering or planning on subscribing to Portico or a similar service for long term access to a large portion of your e-journal content?

 

4.    Do you use LOCKSS for archiving digitized publications?  Would you consider this?

 

5.    Do you have internal guidelines for managing (archiving) the various kinds of e-content that will not be archived by another service (e.g., e-ref works for which you've been given a DVD or downloaded XML files that are intended to provide ongoing access if ((for example)) the e-resource becomes unavailable)?

 

6.    When you receive xml (or other form) of licensed titles that is supposed to be your archival version of the e-content, do you have a quality control procedure to check the DVD (or whatever format you receive the files in) in order to confirm that it is what it's supposed to be and that it's complete?

 

7.    Do you have guidelines or procedures for managing and archiving this content (i.e., e-content that's not archived in any other way but upon which you'd need to rely if you lost access to the vendor-supplied content)?

 

8.    Is there a good source of information and guidance about this subject?

 

 

I am willing to take responses offline and compile and report.

 

Regards,

Tyra Grant

Head, Preservation Department

University of Kansas Libraries