Electronic Information Media

Considerations for preserving information in electronic format

Some of the information in archives, libraries and museums is already in electronic format. Most of this information is in analogue format, including audio recordings and video recordings on magnetic tape. Digital magnetic media such as floppy disks, hard disks and magnetic data tape are also being used. This will change as digital recording becomes more widely used.

Preserving electronic information and media is about:

• recognising that electronic preservation raises challenges that are fundamentally different than those encountered in preserving traditional-format materials such as paper and books;

• understanding why access to all magnetic information is going to be short-term;

• setting priorities by choosing what information to keep, and discarding the rest;

• using commonsense techniques to try and make electronic information and media last longer; and

• applying this knowledge systematically.