Preservation Strategies for Electronic Records: Where We Are Now—Obliquity and Squint?

This article reports on a survey of the activities of thirteen institutions and projects in the United States and abroad that employ or are exploring strategies to preserve authentic electronic records. These strategies include preservation techniques (e.g., refreshing, migration, emulation); selection for preservation; staffing configurations; cost modeling; access to preserved records; and policymaking. Particular attention is paid to three broad areas: the evolution of the definition of "preservation," the role of costing in preserving electronic records, and the gap in policy development in which to situate and strategize the present and future preservation of electronic records. By documenting the variety of approaches that are being taken, the authors seek not only to shed light on current practices, but also to offer informed consideration on where preservation might be headed.