I read with interest the article, "Linking yearbooks to future" (June 10). Yearbooks are one of the most popular and heavily used historical records. Archivists and librarians have been grappling with how to deal with electronic yearbooks for several years.
Contrary to popular opinion, digital records are more fragile and difficult to preserve than traditional print records. To ensure that digital materials last, people must be proactive in preserving them. Unlike print materials, they are unlikely to survive the "benign neglect" of being stored in a box in a dry place and ignored for years.
The article states the publisher guarantees the yearbook videos will remain available for 30 years. However, it is unlikely the QR codes will be functional after 30 years or that people will still own devices capable of reading QR codes.
Digital records are fragile, and software and hardware quickly becomes obsolete. We have already lost large amounts of personal and historical information due to these problems, and professionals are scrambling to ensure that material does not continue to be lost. We are beginning to find some solutions, but have a long way to go before it is no longer a worry.
The Library of Congress has an excellent site filled with advice on preserving your digital photographs, videos and other digital records. Check it out at http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/ before you unexpectedly find your cherished material lost forever.
Susan D'Entremont
regional archivist, Capital District Library Council, Albany