Digital preservation

Digital preservation is the process of keeping digital information safe and usable over time. This is important because digital files can be lost or become unreadable as technology changes.^[1]

Why it is important

Digital files, like photos, documents, and videos, can be lost if not saved properly. Computers and storage devices can break, and old formats can become outdated. Digital preservation helps to make sure that important information is not lost.^[2] Digital preservation is important to keep digital information safe for the future. By planning, storing, checking, and updating, we can make sure that important digital files are not lost.

How it is done

1. Planning: Decide what digital files are important and need to be saved.
2. Storing: Use safe and reliable storage methods, like cloud storage or special hard drives.
3. Checking: Regularly check the files to make sure they are still readable and not damaged.
4. Updating: Move files to new formats or storage devices as technology changes.

Challenges

• Technology Changes: New software and hardware can make old files hard to read.
• Storage Failure: Hard drives and other storage devices can fail.
• Cost: Keeping digital files safe can be expensive.^[3]

Related pages

• Web archiving