Library of Congress needs to improve digital information handling claims NANRC - Government Activity - Brief Article

Telecomworldwire, August 4, 2000

TELECOMWORLDWIRE-4 August 2000-Library of Congress needs to improve digital information handling claims NANRC (C)1994-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com

According to a committee of the US' National Academies' National Research Council (NANRC), the Library of Congress needs to improve its handling of digital information.

Collections of the historical and cultural record collected by the library directly support the work of the US Congress and to keep this role the library must collect and preserve electronic information such as e-books, newspaper websites, and digital music as well as traditional media like the printed book. The library has yet to develop a broad strategy or capability to accomplish this.

James O'Donnell, the committee chair, said that the library must build a new system for acquiring and preserving materials that includes digital information that is integrated with the existing system for gathering physical formats.

The committee of the NANRC has recommended that the library create the new position of deputy librarian for strategic initiatives to help with the development of a system that effectively incorporates IT. In addition, an IT vision, strategy, research and planning group should be formed, as well as a technical advisory board whose members are sought from outside the library.

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