QUESTIONNAIRE
Important Definitions
>
What does "digital documents" mean?
By
"digital documents" we understand documents which are produced
digitally right from the start ("born digital"),
i.e.
for instance the digital print files of a book or an article, online-journals,
documents published on DVD/CD-ROM
as
well as websites. Our usage of the term "digital documents" does not
refer to digitalized copies of printed books or journals.
>
What does "long-term preservation of digital documents" mean?
By this
we understand procedures and strategies which guarantee that authentic versions
of contemporary digital documents
will
also be accessible and usable with future hardware and software. The simple
creation of regular backups would be
part
of such a strategy, but it is by no means sufficient to guarantee the future
availability of digital documents.
>
What does "digital repository" mean?
By
"digital repository" we mean an electronic system, in which digital
documents can be archived and kept accessible
on a
durable basis. A digital repository has to be understood as a sub-system of a
digital library which guarantees
the
long term preservation, accessibility, integrity and authenticity of digital
documents.
Question 1
Generally
speaking, how important do you consider the long-term preservation of digital
documents?
The long
term preservation of digital documents is:
o Very important
o Rather important
o Rather unimportant
o Totally unimportant
o Don't know
Question 2
Generally
speaking, do you consider the long-term preservation of digital documents to be
an intrinsic task of libraries?
o Yes (> proceed with question
3)
o No (> proceed with question
2.1)
o Don't know (> proceed with question
3)
Question 2.1
Why do
you not generally consider the long-term preservation of digital documents to
be an intrinsic task of libraries?
In your
opinion, who should take over this task?
___________________________________________
(>
proceed with question 4)
Question 3
Do you
consider the long-term preservation of digital documents to be an intrinsic
task of your own library?
o Yes (> proceed with question
3.2)
o No (> proceed with question
3.1)
o Don't know (> proceed with
question 4)
Question 3.1
Why do
you not consider the long-term preservation of digital documents to be an
intrinsic task of your own library?
In your
opinion, who should take over this task?
________________________________
Which
other institutions that could perform this task instead of your library already
offer a digital repository?
________________________________
(>
proceed with question 11)
Question 3.2
Which
kinds of digital documents should be archived in your library most urgently?
(1 = very
important, 2 = rather important, 3 = rather unimportant, 4 = totally
unimportant)
________
Ready-to-print master files (PDF, QuarkExpress-files,
digital Printfiles, etc)
________
Offline documents (DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc)
________
Online documents (E-Journals und E-Newspapers, E-Prints, etc)
________
Websites
________
Other types of digital documents, such as
________________________
Question 4
Does
your library already maintain a repository of digital documents?
o Yes. Our digital repository is
accessible online at http://_________________.
(>
proceed with question 5)
o Not yet, but there are plans to
establish one.
The
implementation of our digital repository is scheduled for the year
_________________.
(>
proceed with question 5)
o No, and there are no plans to
establish one at present.
(>
proceed with question 11)
Question 5
Does
your library have any written guidelines for the long-term preservation of
digital documents?
o Yes. These guidelines are
published at http://____________.
(>
proceed with question 5.1)
o Yes, we do have written
guidelines, but they are not accessible to the public.
(>
proceed with question 5.1)
o No, we do not have any written
guidelines as yet, but there are plans to create some.
(>
proceed with question 6)
o No, we do not have any written
guidelines, and at present there are no plans to create any.
(>
proceed with question 6)
Question 5.1
Does
your library have any written guidelines for the collection of digital
documents?
o Yes. These guidelines are published
at http://____________.
o Yes, we do have written
guidelines, but they are not accessible to the public.
o No, we do not have any written
guidelines as yet, but there are plans to create some.
o No, we do not have any written
guidelines, and at present there are no plans to create any.
Question 6
Which
software solution do you use (or intend to use) for your digital repository?
o Open source software,
namely___________________________
o Commercial software, namely
__________________________
o Specifically developed
software, namely ___________________________
o Mixed software, namely
______________________________
o Not yet decided
o Don't know
Question 7
Which
kinds of digital documents do you already archive at your library?
o Ready-to-print master files
(PDF, QuarkExpress-files, digital Printfiles,
etc)
o Offline documents (DVDs,
CD-ROMs, etc)
o Online documents (E-Journals
und E-Newspapers, E-Prints, etc)
o Websites
o Other types of digital
documents, namely _________________________
Question 7.1
How many
of these digital documents do you already archive at your library?
Please
estimate the approximate number.
________
Ready-to-print master files (PDF, QuarkExpress-files,
digital Printfiles, etc)
________
Offline documents (DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc)
________
Online documents (E-Journals und E-Newspapers, E-Prints, etc)
________
Websites
________
Other types of digital documents, namely
____________________
Question 8
How
would you assess your digital repository in terms of technical, structural and
organizational quality,
compared
to other libraries of a similar size?
o Considerably better
o Better
o Comparable to others
o Worse
o Considerably worse
o Don't know
Question 9
Which
department(s) is (are) responsible for the long-term preservation of digital
documents
within
the organizational structure of your library?
o A new department was created
for that particular purpose, namely ______________.
o An existing department was
charged with the long-term preservation of digital documents
in
addition to existing tasks, namely ________________.
o Several departments collaborate
on this matter, namely _____________.
Question 10
How is
the long-term preservation of digital documents financed at your library?
Please
indicate the ratios of financing allocated from the library budget and from
third-party funds, respectively.
o Exclusively from the library’s
own budget
o Mainly from the library’s own
budget
o Mainly from third-party funds
o Exclusively from third-party
funds
o Ratios are approximately equal
o Don't know
Question 11
Please
estimate the probability that contemporary digital documents will still be
available and usable in future, in your own opinion?
In 5 years:
o Very probable o Quite probable o Rather improbable o Most improbable
In 20
years:
o Very probable o Quite probable o Rather improbable o Most improbable
In 50
years:
o Very probable o Quite probable o Rather improbable o Most improbable
In 100
years:
o Very probable o Quite probable o Rather improbable o Most improbable
In 500
years:
o Very probable o Quite probable o Rather improbable o Most improbable
Respondent Data
Name of
your department: ___________________
Your
name: ___________________
Your
email: ___________________
Your
position:
o Head of library/ Chief
librarian
o Head of department
o Project manager
o Employee
Your
background:
o Librarian
o Technician / IT
o Manager
o Scientist
Your
Age:
o Under 31
o 31-40 years
o 41-50 years
o 51-60 years
o Over 60