Obligatory legal deposit proposed for digital newspapers: Library/Archives

The National Library of Canada and National Archives of Canada have issued a list of recommendations to encourage the digitization of newspaper content coming out of an October conference (CNM, Oct. 16/02). Among other suggestions, the two institutions have put out for consideration the suggestion that legal deposit of electronic newspapers be made compulsory. Last October, dozens of stakeholders in the electronic newspaper industry met in Ottawa for the Reborn Digital – Digitization of historical Canadian newspapers conference. There, delegates heard from private- and public-sector players about efforts to preserve newspapers in digital form, including the challenges for creating a viable business case or finding public-sector funding. Further, technical challenges were also addressed as the industry struggles to find universal standards. First, participants at the conference noted that leadership was needed in the field. To that end, they’ve recommended that the Library and Archives initiate a working group to develop a national digital newspaper preservation and access strategy and that they consider establishing a Canadian Newspaper Centre as a permanent base from which to lobby for funds and develop digitization toolkits and other resources. Long-term accessibility of digital newspapers and ongoing production were also identified as goals. Specifically, delegates called for comprehensive historical coverage. They also called on government to "respect the current complementary approach, whereby the private sector digitizes those Canadian dailies for which they see a market, and public-sector-based projects digitize newspapers of more local or limited reach." Further, participants have called on the Library and Archives, or possibly the Canadian Initiative on Digital Libraries, to inventory online newspapers and ongoing digitization efforts to help identify gaps, and to prepare an "integrated, pan-Canadian strategy." On funding a national strategy, the report is vague. While companies such as Cold North Wind Inc. are proceeding apace with their business plans, there was no clear private-sector model to ensure a comprehensive strategy. Finally, the delegates recommended establishing technical standards through measures such as developing a set of suggested practices. The recommendations conclude: "Stakeholders agreed that unless new relationships are established, collections are at risk and a body of valuable Canadian digital content will be lost. The importance of partnerships and of complementary activity between private and public sectors was underlined, and meeting participants affirmed that sustained leadership from the Library and Archives of Canada was required." While many of the recommendations are vague or motherhood issues, at least some will prove more contentious such as a controversial deposit requirement. It’s not known whether the requirement would extend to small community papers or just large dailies. Any such move would likely be resented by the larger market papers that increasingly view newspaper content as a multi-stream revenue opportunity as the industry moves toward web subscription models and the restriction of information online. Further, the costs involved with mandatory deposit, for both the publisher and for the government body that would have to host the content, are potentially huge. Susan Haigh, the National Library’s manager of program development for the Digital Library of Canada Task Force, says in the immediate wake of the report the Library will be talking to Canada’s core publishers about the legal deposit requirement, as well as trying to hire a full-time staff person to deal with digital papers in the current restructuring as the Library and Archives amalgamate. The Library will also begin the process of creating an inventory of papers currently online and digitization initiatives.

Obligatory legal deposit proposed for digital newspapers: Library/Archives

Broadcast | April 3, 2003

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