Collecting the intangible: Libraries and digital archives

As digital forms of communication largely replace paper records, the traces of contemporary life are changing. How do we preserve a world that happens on computers, in apps and online, and leaves no material trail? This talk explores how the library is meeting the challenges of collecting born-digital archives, which are often large, fragmented and subject to technical instability and impermanence. Come and hear about the new strategies and exciting tools the Library is using to preserve our present-day life for future generations.

This talk is part of a series curated by Mitchell Librarian Richard Neville, reflecting on the history of the State Library of NSW. From the founding stories of this iconic institution to its evolution across 200 years, the series examines how libraries collect, preserve and share knowledge, imagination and creativity across generations.