“From the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA):

The UNESCO/PERSIST Guidelines for the Selection of Digital Heritage for Long-Term Preservation were developed to assist practitioners make informed decisions about digital resources to be kept for long term access.

The Second Edition

The PERSIST Content Task Force, under the Preservation Subcommittee of UNESCO Memory of the World, is now excited to debut the second edition of these Guidelines.  This new edition updates and expands on the first edition of the Guidelines, launched in 2016.

This update was made possible through the work of an expert writing group, including representatives from UNESCO, IFLA, the International Council on Archives (ICA), and the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

The Guidelines are currently available in English, Spanish, and Arabic, with thanks to UNESCO for supporting translations.

What’s New?

Given the complexity of digital preservation, this new edition has been expanded to two parts:

1. “The Impact of Digital Preservation on Selection Decisions” introduces readers to the unique challenges of digital preservation, the considerations they must make when setting up a selection policy, and tools they can use to guide these decisions.
2. “A Deeper Look at Collecting in the Digital Environment” takes an even deeper look at digital preservation, exploring institution-specific considerations for practitioners in museums, archives, and libraries, and offering an extended chapter on the impact of the legal environment on selection decisions.

Also new to this edition are several appendices, offering an even deeper dive into specific forms of digital material.

The PERSIST Content Task Force acknowledges the vast array of digital material, and the many different contexts in which selection decisions are made. Therefore, the Guidelines are not presented as a “one-size-fits-all” solution, but rather a starting point to communicate key concepts and tools that practitioners might consider in their own context.

Direct to Complete Announcement

Direct to Full Text: The UNESCO/PERSIST Guidelines for the Selection of Digital Heritage for Long-Term Preservation, Edition II
30 pages; PDF.”

“From NPD:

Last year in 2020 marked the first time since 2013 that annual e-book unit sales from leading U.S. publishers grew, increasing by 22%, year over year, according to The NPD Group. With many brick-and-mortar bookstores closed, due to pandemic restrictions last year, sales in the e-book format benefited. However, so far in 2021 e-book growth has slowed and monthly levels were more consistent with 2019 pre-pandemic sales. For the year-to-date through June 2021, unit sales declined by 8%, versus last year, but sales were still 8% higher than they were in 2019 before the pandemic.

“With brick-and-mortar stores closed last year, e-books were simply easier to buy than print books,” said Kristen McLean, books industry analyst for NPD. “The digital format allowed for frictionless, virus-free purchasing. Now that bookstores are open again, we expect full-year 2021 e-book volume to fall below 2020 levels, with the caveat that supply-chain disruption could cause another lift, if key books are unavailable during the holidays. Regardless, the e-book format will definitely remain a vital ongoing part of the U.S. book market — and a key format for certain categories.”

E-books made up more than one out of every six books sold

When combining print and e-book sales across all categories, e-books account for 18% of sales, or more than one in six books sold. In the 12 months ending June 2021, e-books lost one share point, compared to the previous year. Absolute print book sales gains were eight times more than e-book gains.

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Adult fiction posted the largest e-book share, accounting for 41% of combined sales, but it also lost the most format share points compared to prior year, down 3 points. “January 2021 sales got a bump from Julia Quinn’s ‘Bridgerton’ book series,” McLean said. “Sales fell back to normal levels the following month and have performed more in line with 2019 volume since then.”