Evolving Preservation Roles and Responsibilities of Research Libraries Digitization and Preservation Q: Most libraries digitize ad hoc…however, most libraries also consider “digitization” the end to preservation. How do we educate and implement programs of digital migration to further preserve digital surrogates, and also insist on the physical preservation of original rare antiquity in libraries? Should we preserve both for the long run? Jim Neal: Digitization is not preservation. There is a complex set of provisions and investments for infrastructure and migration that need to be enabled to guarantee RLI 266 7 OCTOBER 2009 RESEARCH LIBRARY ISSUES: A BIMONTHLY REPORT FROM ARL, CNI, AND SPARC Introductory Note On September 15, ARL held a Webcast, “Preservation: Evolving Roles and Responsibilities of Research Libraries.” The Webcast featured presentations by: • Lars Meyer, Sr. Director, Content Division, Emory University Libraries and ARL Visiting Program Officer • James Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian, Columbia University Libraries • Deborah Jakubs, Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs, Duke University Libraries The Webcast was grounded in the recently released report, Safeguarding Collections at the Dawn of the 21st Century: Describing Roles & Measuring Contemporary Preservation Activities in ARL Libraries, prepared for ARL by Lars Meyer. Meyer’s report, released in May 2009, documents the trend within research libraries of broadening preservation activities to address digital content, and the drive to develop collaborative approaches to providing preservation functions. In addition to the speaker presentations, the broadcast included substantial time for live question-and- answer exchanges. What appears below is a sampling of audience questions that could not be accommodated on air, along with brief responses from the speakers. To view the original Webcast archive, the complete Q&A exchanges, as well as speaker information and additional resources, please visit http://www.arl.org/preserv/preservationwebcast/index.shtml.