Goals of Electronic Archiving

• Offering broad access to information
• Preservation
• Reduce storage cost

Obstacles to Implementation of Electronic Archiving

• Libraries reluctant to give up physical copy
• Property rights in electronic media are ill defined
• Initial scanning required for creation of electronic archives

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System

• Security
• Access
• Economy
• Openness
• Library needs
• Publisher needs
• Information user needs

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Security

• Destruction due to natural hazard
• Physical deterioration of the storage medium
• Technological obsolescence
• Business failure

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Access

• Standards for header information to support creation of index files
• Cost-effective search and retrieval capabilities
• Provision for sustaining accessibility
• Contract protection for access arrangements

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Economy

• Archiving cost must be lower than existing cost
• Opening up shelf space/reduction in capital expense
• Less expensive access
• No longer dual subscription
• Cost recovery

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Openness

• Facilitates greater access
• Ease of adaptation as better technologies appear
• Linking with other systems, both archival and online

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Library Needs

• Guaranteed permanent availability
• Low and predictable costs
• Leverage existing library investments

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Publisher Needs

• Provision for compliance with intellectual property rights
• Credible protection against unauthorized use
• Subscription/usage fee models which reduce publisher risks

Dimensions of Ideal Electronic Archiving System: Information User Needs

• Unprecedented power for searching and browsing archival contents
• Unprecedented power for making the contents available worldwide, around the clock, matter of minutes

OCLC Strategies

• Leverage OCLC online system
• Leverage existing OCLC services
• Leverage scanning activities
• Leverage OCLC membership and cooperative tradition
• Focus on what is practicable in the near term
• Maintain flexibility for future

Membership & Mission

OCLC is uniquely positioned to participate in a cooperative endeavor to address the archive problem.

• Such a role is appropriate to OCLC's charter and mission.
• OCLC's library membership constitutes a powerful basis for cooperative approaches.
• OCLC has the requisite capabilities.

Storage Technology

• OCLC's robotic tape silos will allow for very cost effective storage of large amounts of data.
• Disk can be used in conjunction with tape to offer rapid access to frequently used material.
• OCLC will guarantee ongoing migration to current technologies

Access

• Using FirstSearch as the front end, OCLC can offer intuitive access using non-proprietary technology.
• FirstSearch users offer a large, ready outlet for archived collections.
• OCLC has the systems in place to charge for access (and thereby offer cost recovery).
• OCLC is staying current with access technology.

Scanning, Indexing, Cataloging

• For libraries that need to digitize collections, OCLC can offer both scanning and indexing through Preservation Resources and our New Albany operation.
• Tech Pro, Prism, PromptCat, RetroConn

Electronic Archiving Pilot Project

• Selected collections mounted
• Partners include 11 content providers representing thirteen collections
• Functionality from FirstSearch/FS ECO
• Scheduled implementation: Fall 1997

Goals of the Pilot Project

• Test the technology with a variety of formats.
• Gain input from "real" users, and study usage issues.

• Demonstrate a working prototype by fall

• Validate the concept and costs in preparation for commercial release.

Electronic Archiving System Functionality

Pilot Project Business Model

Content Providers