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Library of Congress Backs Digital Preservation Studies
A message from the Library of Congress National Digital Information infrastructure and Preservation Program
The National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program
(NDIIPP) has issued an announcement seeking applications for projects
that will advance the nationwide program to collect and preserve digital
materials.
The Library of Congress is leading this collaborative effort
at the request of the U.S. Congress, which passed legislation in 2000
asking the Library to work with a range of stakeholders to ensure that
materials produced in digital formats today are available to future
generations.
In December 2002, the U.S. Congress approved NDIIPP's "Preserving Our
Digital Heritage: Plan for the National Digital Information
Infrastructure and Preservation Program," making it possible for the
Library to proceed with the work of developing an infrastructure for the
collection and preservation of digital materials.
This "Program Announcement to Support Building a Network of Partners"
represents the beginning of the next phase of the National Digital
Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program.
The NDIIPP plan outlines three broad categories of investment
projects:
- Practical applications and models,
- The digital preservation technical architecture and
- Basic digital preservation research.
This program announcement is for projects that focus on the first
investment category. Other announcements may follow.
NDIIPP is a nationwide initiative being led by the Library of Congress.
The Library has a strong interest in forming partnerships with a wide
range of stakeholders as it works to develop a network of committed
organizations and institutions, with defined roles and responsibilities,
in the collection and preservation of historically significant digital
materials.
This first set of projects will focus on two major NDIIPP goals:
- The selection and collection of at-risk and significant digital
materials for which no analog equivalent exists and
- the development of a network of committed NDIIPP partners with
defined roles and responsibilities to support the long-term collection
and preservation of digital content.
The program announcement is available at
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/programannouncement. Inquiries may
be directed to (202) 707-3455 or at osi2@loc.gov. Applications must be
postmarked by Nov. 12, 2003, to receive further consideration.
Under this announcement, awards of between $500,000 and $3 million will
be made for periods of performance of one to three years. A cost-sharing
contribution on the part of the applicant is required, as detailed in
the announcement. The announcement also outlines information on
eligibility for awards, as well as procedures for submitting
applications.
Those submitting applications under this announcement are encouraged to
become familiar with the NDIIPP Plan which can be found at
www.digitalpreservation.com.
Background:
In December 2000, Congress authorized the Library of Congress to
develop and execute a congressionally approved plan for a National
Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program. A $99.8
million congressional appropriation was made to establish the program.
According to Conference Report (H. Rept. 106-1033), "The overall plan
should set forth a strategy for the Library of Congress, in
collaboration with other federal and nonfederal entities, to identify a
national network of libraries and other organizations with
responsibilities for collecting digital materials that will provide
access to and maintain those materials. ... In addition to developing
this strategy, the plan shall set forth, in concert with the Copyright
Office, the policies, protocols and strategies for the long-term
preservation of such materials, including the technological
infrastructure required at the Library of Congress."
The legislation mandates that the Library work with federal entities
such as the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Archives and
Records Administration, the National Library of Medicine, the National
Agricultural Library, the National Institute of Standards and Technology
and "other federal, research and private libraries and institutions with
expertise in telecommunications technology and electronic commerce
policy." The goal is to build a network of committed partners working
through a preservation architecture of defined roles and
responsibilities.
The Library of Congress digital strategy is being formulated in concert
with a study, commissioned by the Librarian of Congress, by the National
Research Council Computer Science and Telecommunications Board. "LC 21:
A Digital Strategy for the Library of Congress" was issued July 26,
2000, and made several recommendations, including that the Library,
working with other institutions, take the lead in the preservation and
archiving of digital materials.
The complete text of the "Plan for the National Digital Information
Infrastructure and Preservation Program" is available at
www.digitalpreservation.gov. This includes an explanation of how the
plan was developed, who the Library worked with to develop the plan and
the key components of the digital preservation infrastructure. The plan
was approved by Congress in December 2002.
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