| The Preservation Officers support
the teaching, research, and service mission of the CIC institutions
by preserving and providing enduring access to their institutions'
collections. Through a combination of leadership and collaboration,
the CIC Preservation Officers improve the collective stewardship
of these collections and support the professional development
and mentoring necessary to build and sustain strong programs.
The CIC Task Force on Preservation & Digital Technology is
charged with positioning the CIC Libraries to make intelligent,
timely, and efficient consortial use of digital technology in
preserving its collections while at the same time increasing access
to them. The Task Force is also charged with examining issues
related to preserving information in electronic format and initiating
action as appropriate. The work of the Task Force should be guided
by three principles:
1. The primary objective is to position the CIC Libraries for
action in the near future. The Task Force's work must go well
beyond the gathering of information. It will guide the CIC Libraries
in preparing to use digital technology for preservation and access
and in preserving electronic formats, and will act as a catalyst
in identifying opportunities to act consortially.
2. The Task Force should work deliberately but quickly. The rapid
rate at which digital technology is advancing requires that the
CIC Libraries move immediately. The Task Force should begin producing
results within four to six months, and should report to the CIC
Library Directors frequently. Anticipated outcomes for the initial
phase of the Task Force's work might include: a comprehensive
survey of existing digital preservation projects; consideration
of the work of other groups in addressing the use of digital technologies
for preservation, particularly the Research Libraries Group and
the joint RLG/CPA Task Force on Archiving of Digital Information;
plans for a symposium bringing together the Preservation Officers,
Automation Officers, Collection Development Officers, and others
to discuss the broad issues involved in digitization for preservation;
and a prioritized list of possible projects.
3. The present environment suggests a multi-faceted approach
that maximizes flexibility. The Task Force should be entrepreneurial
and opportunistic in an effort to move quickly, adapt to the rapid
and sometimes unpredictable changes that will occur, and capitalize
on opportunities as they arise. It will be necessary to move simultaneously
on several fronts.
The Task Force should begin its work by investigating several
areas, such as those described below. A number of projects aimed
at positioning the CIC Libraries for action may grow out of these
investigations. Sub-groups and other CIC Libraries staff should
be involved as appropriate. (In some cases, responsibility for
implementation of projects may lie outside of the Task Force.)
- Selection issues: The Task Force should work to identify CIC
collections of graphic materials (publications, documents, photographs,
maps, etc.) that: 1. would most benefit from conversion to, or
already exist in, electronic format, 2. are designated by their
institutions as in need of preservation, and 3. are most suited
to achieving these goals in a consortial environment.
- Training: There are a variety of training needs on many levels,
from selection, systems design, and management, to scanning and
indexing. The Task Force should make it a priority to organize
a symposium in the near future at which staff from CIC Libraries
will learn about the latest developments in the use of digital
technology and plan how it may be used for preservation and access
in the CIC. In addition, there are several more specific training
needs, for example instruction in the skills necessary to work
successfully in performing scanning in-house or working with vendors.
- Guidelines and agreements: An area of great need is the establishment
of guidelines and agreements by which a variety of institutions
can preserve materials and make them accessible electronically
while maximizing user convenience. Agreements and guidelines need
to be established with regard to file formatting, compression,
bibliographic control and indexing, security, and image enhancement
that will result in barrier-free access for users. The CIC provides
an excellent laboratory for this work. (A distinction is made
here between "standards" and "guidelines and agreements."
Responsibility for the establishment of formal standards is beyond
the CIC and lies with bodies such as AIIM and NISO. However, the
CIC is an ideal environment in which to design guidelines and
agreements regarding the achievement of compatible electronic
preservation and access to collections.
- Investigation of several basic technological and management
issues: There are a number of issues about which the CIC Libraries
will need to develop common expertise in order to take action.
Examples are the relative merits of scanning in-house versus contracting
out, identifying the different challenges and requirements of
digitizing images versus text, establishing an understanding of
the database management software packages that are available,
and providing for long-term preservation and access for digital
files. On a broader level, issues of document type description,
metadata, and intellectual property rights/copyright, will need
to be addressed before projects are initiated.
- Pilot projects: In pursuing the issues outlined above, the
Task Force should identify areas where one or more pilot projects
would be worthwhile. Where pilot projects seem in order, the Task
Force should initiate them.
- Coordination with other efforts already underway: The Task
Force should stay abreast of other efforts, both within the CIC
(such as the Virtual Electronic Library Project and the work of
the Task Force on the CIC Electronic Collection) and elsewhere,
looking for opportunities to build on work already in progress.
- Investigation of potential funding sources: The Task Force
should work with CIC staff in identifying and cultivating potential
funders of projects. Dialogues should be established with NEH
(which plans an Electronic Digital Library initiative), NSF, ARMA,
Xerox, IBM, Mellon, Kellogg and other federal agencies, organizations,
corporations and foundations. An effort should be made to identify
new sources of funding and potential for partnership, as digital
technology may bring new players to the table.
CIC Task Force on Preservation & Digital Technology Members:
Sherry Byrne, University of Chicago
Richard Frieder, Northwestern University (chair)
Fred Honhart, Michigan State University
Mira Geffner, CICNet
Bonnie MacEwan, Penn State University
Nancy John, University of Illinois at Chicago
Lou Pitschmann, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Lorraine Olley, Indiana University
William Studer, Ohio State University
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