2002 Volume 45 Issue 1 Pages 8
Double Fold, written by Nicholson Baker, severely criticizes preservation policies in libraries in the U.S., especially the disposal of original newspapers after microfilming. Baker asserts libraries should have given priority to preservation rather than reformatting. However, libraries argue that reformatting is inevitable in order to preserve intellectual contents of materials and make them more accessible to users. CLIR has issued Report of the Task Force on the Artifact in Library Collections proposing that the role and the value of original, unformatted artifacts in library collections should be regarded as more important. Japanese libraries face the problem of lack of space and they will have to do away with some of their collections, too. Association of National University Libraries and Medical Library Association have discussed cooperative collecting, cooperative programs in preservation, and have planned a national deposit library.
