Electronic Currents

The Tail Wagging the Dog: Challenges of Working with Obsolete Computer Media

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Abstract

Thanks to SAA’s Jump In Initiative and the publication of an OCLC research report, archivists from a variety of institutions are now surveying collections for fugitive computer media and implementing strategies for recovering data from such media. But as archivists dig into legacy holdings, they are uncovering the “long tail” of computer media: more exotic formats beyond typical floppy disks and optical media. Getting to the hidden content contained in these formats requires access to elusive equipment and strategies that may seem too prohibitive to be worth any one institution’s resources.

How to Cite:

Goldman, B., (2014) “The Tail Wagging the Dog: Challenges of Working with Obsolete Computer Media”, MAC Newsletter 42(1), 26-27.