Web Archiving Trail
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Archiving | Beginners Trail |
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About this trail
This trail is designed for individuals with little or no prior knowledge
of this subject. The trail provides links to the major initiatives and
resources that illustrate the different approaches to Web archiving. This trail
is a subset of the full PADI database.
FAQs about Web Archiving
Why is Web archiving becoming so
important?
The Web is fast growing and constantly changing and it is this fluid
nature that makes archiving important. At the same time, the dynamic and
ephemeral quality of electronic information makes it difficult to capture and
control. Web archiving is dependent on the creation of appropriate storage
systems that will guarantee preservation, maintenance and access over the
long-term. The following site offers links to many types of introductory
resources on Web archiving.
Web
Archiving Bibliography This bibliography from the Austrian Online
Archive includes links to sites on international and national initiatives and
to articles, workshops, meetings and subject gateways.
What role does Web archiving play in digital
preservation?
The archiving of Web resources is a significant process in the overall
preservation of electronic records. Archiving involves the selection, capture
and provision of access to digital records in their current format so that they
will remain accessible as technology changes. It is closely intertwined with
the complementary practice of preservation, which is concerned with the
complexities of managing digital records for the long-term.
The following resource is an easy to read introduction to the main Web
archiving issues - Andreas Rauber and Andreas Aschenbrenner Part of
Our Culture is Born Digital : On Effors to Preserve it for Future
Generations
What are some of the challenges for digital
archiving?
The ever-expanding size of the Web and the dynamic and transient nature
of its content pose special challenges for digital archiving. Questions such as
which versions of Web resources to collect, how they will be downloaded or
harvested, and the maintenance of site and link functionality need to be
addressed, as well as how the data can be stored and accessed for the future. A
good summary of initiatives which are examining solutions these problems is
provided in the following resource.
Michael Day
Collecting
and Preserving the World Wide Web : a Feasibility Study Undertaken for the JISC
and Wellcome Trust.
Legal issues also pose unique challenges to web archiving. This paper
examines the key legal issues in the United Kingdom as well as surveying EU
countries, Australia and the USA. The paper illustrates the varying and often
complex approaches to copyright, legal deposit, content liability and data
protection in these jurisdictions.
Andrew Charlesworth:
Legal
issues relating to the archiving of Internet resources in the UK, EU, USA and
Australia. A study undertaken for the JISC and Wellcome Trust. Version 1.0
- 25 February 2003.
What is harvesting and are there any
advantages for archiving comprehensively or selectively?
In response to the Web archiving challenge two main strategies have
emerged. The first approach is the collection of websites and online resources
in their entirety. The comprehensive harvesting undertaken by the
Internet Archive is an example of this.
The second approach is the retention of selective site or document 'snapshots'.
An example of this approach is the selective collection model adopted by the
PANDORA project.
The following resource describes PANDORA and the roles of national
approaches in web harvesting Margaret E. Phillips PANDORA,
Australia's Web Archive, And The Digital Archiving System That Supports It
The following resource illustrates the national approach to Web
harvesting in the United States. Topic based collection such as the 2002 Winter
Olympics are used as examples. Abigail Grotke and Gina Jones Web
Preservation Projects at Library of Congress
Harvesting involves the use of robots to automatically retrieve Web
materials for future retention. It is especially suitable for the collection of
large amounts of material but does not offer a high degree of control over
gathered data. Harvesting is not appropriate for structured websites which need
to be actively collected or deposited if their usability is to be maintained.
Selection of Web materials for archiving is resource-intensive but saves on
storage, and allows for more control over collected resources and the option of
adding descriptive information to enhance access. A further introduction to
harvesting can be found in the following resource - Archiving the
Web - European Experiences.
Where can I find more information on this
topic?
For more information on Web archiving, see the
PADI archiving topic
page, or, search the PADI
database using 'web archiving' as a search term.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA, Canberra, ACT 2600, AUSTRALIA
Telephone + 61 2 6262 1111; Facsimile +61 2 6257 1703; Telephone Typewriter
Number: 1800 026 372
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