Understanding the Ongoing Archival Research on the Permanent Preservation of Electronic Records

전자문서의 영구보존을 위한 표준화 연구 동향

In the fast growing digital environment, assuring continued authenticity is an essential and intransigent preservation consideration for digital data and records. Several key issues need to be addressed, including: What are electronic records and data?; Which intellectual and technical elements of data and records are essential for assuring authenticity in electronic format?; How should these be maintained and preserved over time?; How are authentic data and records used in various systems of practice?; and What are the best strategies of preserving authentic electronic records and data?. There have been many research projects to answer these questions to date. This paper discusses the characteristics of electronic records in light of preservation consideration and reports the activities and findings of some of the research projects in brief. This paper focuses on explaining the InterPARES (International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems) Project, which is defining requirements for authenticity that can help develop strategies for long-term preservation in electronic records. To identify those requirements, more than thirty case studies have been conducted with government agencies, academic institutions, and various organizations in America, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia and models developed for appraisal, preservation, and strategies in relation to the management of electronic records. The paper also suggests research questions and implications for preserving authentic electronic records as well as the encouragement for Korean research on digital preservation.

전자형태를 띄고 있는 문서와 데이터가 널리 보급됨에 따라 전자문서의 유약성으로 인해 생기는 문제점을 보완하고 이를 영구보존하여 전자문서의 이용을 극대화하려는 다각도의 연구들이 1990년대 이래로 활발하게 진행되고 있다. 이 글은 북미를 중심으로 서구에서 현재 진행되고 있는 전자문서 보존과 이용에 관한 최근 연구동향을 국내에 소개하고 이해하는데 기여하며, 그 중에서 세계적 규모로 진행중인 InterPARES Project의 성과와 특징을 살펴봄으로 전자문서의 영구보존을 위한 개념의 정립과 그 보존에 대한 이해를 돕고, 아울러 한국적 모색을 마련하는 계기를 제공하고자 한다.