New digital preservation video from the Library of Congress

Have you ever found yourself trying to explain to interested laypeople -- friends, relatives, elected officials -- precisely why it's so hard to keep electronic files intact and accessible over time? If so, be sure to check out Why Digital Preservation is Important for Everyone, the latest video from the Library of Congress's National Digital Information Infrastructure Preservation Program. In less than three minutes, the video touches upon most of the big threats to digital materials (wait until you see someone attempting to insert a Zip disk and an open-reel data tape into a netbook!) and emphasizes the need for "active management" of electronic files. It's an accessible non-technical introduction for people who aren't familiar with the challenges of preserving digital materials, and a great resource and model for those of us who must cultivate support for digital preservation. A full transcript is available.