Perfect One Day—Digital The Next: Challenges in Preserving Digital Information

ABSTRACTPreserving information is about maintaining its meaning—or essence—over time. It is achieved through maintaining information's usability, context and content. This article compares and contrasts some of the characteristics of information in paper-based format and information in digital format, particularly the characteristics that affect their preservation. The leading ideas on why digital information is inherently short-lived are discussed along with current best thinking on how digital information may be preserved and some recent initiatives in Australian libraries in this area.