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Background
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items, representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages.
The British Library Preservation Advisory Centre supports the preservation of library and archive collections of all types through the provision of preservation management tools, training and information services: until April 2009 it was known as the National Preservation Office.
The Digital Preservation Coalition was established in 2001 to foster joint action to address the urgent challenges of securing the preservation of digital resources in the UK and to work with others internationally to secure our global digital memory and knowledge base. Estabished as a not-for-profit membership organisation the coalition provides a mechanism by which members can work together to realise the opportunities of long term access.
The aims of the Digital Preservation Coalition are to enable and act as a catalyst to support its members to ensure long term access to and management of their digital assets; to collaborate with our national and international partners to take forward the digital preservation and asset management agenda; and to act as a broker and an agent of knowledge transfer amongst its membership.
Contact The British Library. Web: www.bl.uk
Preserving Digital Heritage
The British Library Preservation Advisory Centre and the Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) signed a major new memorandum of understanding on Tuesday 19 January 2010.
Focussing on training and skills development, the first joint initiative will be an event on the preservation of digital objects aimed at librarians, archivists and technical staff involved in the creation and care of digital content. Fostering a culture of shared responsibility for and understanding of digital content amongst those caring for library and...