Significant potential and attractiveness of digital technology as a
preservation medium and access mechanism.

Productive use of digital imagery for preservation requires a
reconceptualizing of preservation principles in a volatile,
standardless world.

Concept of managing continuing access in the digital environment rather than focusing on the permanence of the medium and long-term archival standards developed for the analog world.

Transition period: How long and what to do?

* Redefine "archival."

* Remove the burden of "archival copy" from paper artifacts.

* Use digital technology for storage, develop management strategies for refreshing medium, hardware and software.

* Create acid-free paper copies for transition period backup until we develop reliable procedures for ensuring continuing access to digital files.

SESSION IV-D

Stuart WEIBEL The Role of SGML Markup in the CORE Project (6)