Selection for Preservation in the Digital Age: An Overview

Abstract

In this paper, I consider three issues: whether conversion to digital form is a preservation action, the contrasts between selection for digital conversion and selection for traditional preservation, and the potential effects on the field of preservation. All of these issues are under active debate by, among others, Atkinson (1998), Conway (1996b), Hazen et al. (1998), and Smith (1999). While consensus is growing, many points remain unsettled.