NLA Digital collections: Statement of Preservation Intent

Collection Area: Asian Collections / Overseas Collections Management

The Library's Asian and Pacific digital collection is an overseas-origin collection consisting of:

  • Externally sourced commercial and non-commercial physical format carriers;
  • Selected websites harvested using the Archive-It service (Internet Archives Curation Service);
  • Internally sourced content (digitised analogue physical material created through document supply or internal digitisation)
  • Externally sourced content (digitised analogue physical material created by a third party).

Asian Collections / Overseas Collections intends that:

  • The majority of the Asia /Pacific digital collection does not require digital preservation.
  • A small number of externally sourced physical format items will be selected for processing off carriers. These include content considered unique, irreplaceable and of the highest value to scholarship. These items are mostly non-commercially produced VideoCD and DVD discs (at the time of writing).
  • A small number of externally sourced digitised PDF documents require preservation.
  • Viewing the content is a priority.
  • Digitised internal material, which is not from Document Supply, should be maintained until replaced by another version.
  • Digitised internal material from the Document Supply process, should be kept as long as it can be supported.

Other Issues:

  • As these carriers are mostly non-commercially produced, their contents have been produced to varying standards and may or may not be readily accessible without preservation treatments. File, video and database formats may also vary considerably and there may be issues relating to maintenance of access to different language materials.
  • Many of these collection items are one-offs or self-published which often also restricts the machines capable of rendering their content. There are also access rights and sensitivity issues to be considered.
  • Currently web material is being harvested with Archive-It. New mechanisms for enabling the collection of web material may be considered in future)
  • A copy of the Archive-It web material may need to be transferred to the NLA digital environment in the future.

Version 1.1 20 March 2013

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

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