The E-Sylum:  Volume 6, Number 7, February 16, 2003, Article 3

INTERNET PRESERVATION

  Dick Johnson writes: "The Library of Congress is facing a
  herculean task.  It is going to preserve what is on the internet.

  However, "The digital history of this nation is imperiled by
  the very technology that is used to create it," said James H.
  Billington, Librarian of Congress.  He stated Friday,
  February 14th, that the Library of Congress is taking the
  next step to preserve that digital history.

  It has established, beginning in 2000, to do for digital
  information what it does for printed matter, preserve this
  form of communication for future generations.  It had
  received $5 million from Congress that year to plan the
  National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation
  Program (NDIIPP).  Last week Congress approved $20
  million to place this plan into action (as part of a total $100
  million appropriated for this project).

  Library officials are aware of the size of this task.  Google,
  the largest search engine currently, has over three billion pages.
  Not only is this in a constant state of change, but more is
  added every hour.

  "Much of what has been created is no longer accessible,"
  Billington said. "And much of what disappears is important,
  one-of-a-kind material that can never be recovered, but
  will be desperately looked for [later]."

  In a story by Nicholas Johnston in the Washington Post
  Saturday, the author stated the Library of Congress receives
  more than 20,000 pieces each day, but saves less than half.
  "It now faces the herculean task of deciding what digital
  information should be saved for future generations."

  The full story is at:
  
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10278-2003Feb14.html

  Dick continues:  In our own field of numismatics we have
  observed the loss of original research that has been lost (e.g.
  Carl Carlson's computer files destroyed when he went into a
  nursing home).  How many of our own files have disappeared,
  perhaps, from a crash or virus via the internet.  Is anyone in
  the field saving numismatic data files for the future?   Is it time
  for a numismatic data archive?"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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