Digital Preservation and Access

Abstract

There is a crisis in the publication and archiving of archaeological field data in Europe. Computerized data are more fragile than paper archives but also more accessible via the Internet. This article explores the role of the Archaeology Data Service and examines some of the issues raised by the collection of digital data and their dissemination online and the implications for the future of archaeological publication. It discusses approaches to digital data preservation, the development of archival standards and ways of encouraging reuse. It explores the development of distributed online catalogues and archives and the need for metadata standards for cataloguing resources. Finally, it considers the role of XML as an emergent technology and introduces the European ARENA project which is developing a digital preservation and access infrastructure.

Conservation numérique et accès Julian D. Richards Nous assistons à une crise dans la publication et l'archivage des données archéologiques en Europe. L'informatisation signifie que les données sont plus fragiles que si elles étaient conservées sur papier, mais en même temps plus facilement accessibles par Internet. Dans cet article, on examine le rôle du service des données archéologiques (Archaeology Data Service), on s'occupe de quelques-unes des questions se rapportant à la collection et à la propagation interactive des données numériques, et des conséquences pour l'avenir de la publication archéologique. On discute les différentes façons d'aborder la conservation des données numériques, le développement de critères d'archivage et comment encourager la réutilisation. On étudie l'évolution des catalogues et archives distribués interactivement et le besoin de normes metadata pour cataloguer les documents. Pour terminer, on réfléchit au rôle de XML comme nouvelle technologie et au projet européen ARENA développant la conservation numérique et une infrastructure d'accès.

Keywords

archaeological information systems digital preservation heritage management Internet interoperability metadata online archives resource discovery XML Z39.50

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