Digital Archives

Digital archives are collections or repositories of materials that were originally in digital format (e.g., podcasts, videos, sound recordings, word processing documents, wikis, blogs), and paper-based or analog artifacts that have been digitized (e.g., books, official documents, tape recordings). Archives traditionally have been defined both as collections of historical documents and the places where such documents are stored. Archives provide for the safekeeping of valuable records, guarantee the ongoing legal authenticity of those records, and allow access to them. The world of paper archives has been giving way to digital archives, which presents challenges in terms of storage, preservation, and access. This entry discusses how digital archives differ from print archives and issues relating to the use of digital archives.

There exist fundamental differences between paper records and digital records. With paper records, the document itself (the form) must be preserved so as to retain the content; with electronic records, it is the information itself (the content) which must be preserved in a form that will be accessible in the future. Paper manifestations of information are only available to individuals present in a particular place at a particular time. Such is not the case with digital archives. Unlike paper [Page 201]documents, which are viewed directly by human observers, digital documents can be viewed by anyone with the appropriate software and network access.

Print archives require physical space (storage rooms, library shelves, file cabinets, etc.). When a physical archive runs out of space, new storage capacity must be found or else items must be deleted (deaccessed). Digital archives require virtual space (server capacity, bandwidth, etc.). When a digital archive runs out of space, the material can be off-loaded to a cloud. Traditional print archives operate in a sealed environment and often restrict access to reading rooms. Digital archives operate under no such restrictions, but access is often dependent upon recognized user names and passwords. In addition, digital archives must contend with the pervasiveness of user-generated content (UGC) and interactive Web 2.0 utilities. UGC has much to offer in terms of metadata but threatens the authenticity of the archives by allowing the substitution of one digital version of an artifact or document for another.

Archivists, digital or otherwise, use a process called appraisal to evaluate their records or artifacts and determine their value. The principles of appraisal include (a) the legal status of the repository and its authority to collect material; (b) scope and limitations of the archive; (c) the method(s) by which the archive acquires material; (d) deaccession, or the disposal of archival material; and (e) information regarding access to the material. A digital archive is not a random assimilation of artifacts, but rather an organized, dynamic system of institutionalized records.

Institutional repositories (IRs) are an example of a digital archive gaining currency in higher education. Universities establish IRs for the management and dissemination of digital materials created by the institution and its community members. An IR is essentially an organizational commitment to the stewardship of these digital materials, including long-term preservation, as well as organization and access or distribution. The types of material often uploaded to an IR include previously published articles and book chapters, conference proceedings and unpublished scholarly presentations, lectures, and data files.

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