Conservation, Preservation, and Digitization

Abstract

Considerable attention has been focused recently on the problems of conservation and preservation of library materials. Particularly daunting are the scale of the problems and the enormous ongoing investment that will be required to address them. Currently proposed approaches include extensive microfilming of material, deacidification, and other repair measures. It is proposed that digital technologies be used to accomplish simultaneously the aims of conservation and improved access to materials. Various technologies are reviewed. Such an approach to conservation would form a natural extension to the current growth of electronic publishing, online catalogs, and online databases of journal abstracts. Furthermore, it would provide the greatest return for the massive investment that will be needed to save our deteriorating collections.