Dematerialization of collections: beware, danger!

More and more documents are being published in digital format in addition to their “physical” version. Many libraries are tempted to offer part of their collections in digital format, thanks to the various advantages it offers: ease of use, savings in terms of storage, etc.

However, digital documents – generally stored on a platform independent of the library – have the main disadvantage of not being the library’s property. Indeed, the library pays a usage fee for a limited period of time, after which the subscription must be renewed. The library therefore runs the risk of losing access to documents and consequently of being unable to provide them to its users.

For a library with a heritage mission, this disadvantage can be a deal-breaker, given the loss of control over its collections and the failure to fulfill its mission of preserving the publishing output.

This article discusses this issue and advocates that publishers should not impose digital versions for their own profit only.