3. Multimedia Archiving

3.1 Issues and Approaches to Archiving

Archiving is also undergoing a profound transformation with the emergence of digital technologies. While changing the tools and methods developed to handle traditional materials, digital technology is also introducing new types of materials—such as multimedia documents and websites—for which archiving methods must be conceived and developed.

Archiving essentially serves two purposes: preservation on the one hand, and retrieval on the other. Preservation must be designed specifically to enable retrieval: it is not enough simply to store archived content and ensure its long-term survival; it must also be possible to revisit and interpret it.

Preservation thus involves ensuring the longevity of content...