Current and emerging challenges for the future of library and archival preservation

Confronted with increasingly rapid technological developments and the likelihood of continued economic constraints, libraries face numerous challenges in the coming years that are already affecting their operating models. While many functions are well-established, the responsibility of adequately preserving our collections remains a mandate only partially fulfilled. Many of the same developments that increase access complicate preservation efforts by increasing the competition for diminishing resources, expanding the number of options available, and fundamentally questioning established norms such as the notion of permanence. This paper explores the impact of these trends on the library's role as memory institution and poses questions about the near future of preservation in the research library.