U.K. lauches $6 million archiving system.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT

The U.K. National Archives said future generations will be able to read government documents electronically thanks to a new 3.5 million [pounds sterling] ($6.3 million U.S.) archiving system for public digital records.

The automated process will appraise, select, catalogue, transfer, store, and preserve public electronic records that are identified as worthy of permanent preservation, according to Information World Review.

David Thomas, the Archives' chief information officer, said: "We now have the tools to ensure modern records survive the test of time. It is an important step towards guaranteeing the survival of vast amounts of government records."

The first-of-its-kind system will be rolled out over the next few years to meet the anticipated need to transfer large volumes of digital data to the Archives.

The government also has embarked on other projects to ensure that government data will be accessible online. For example, the Archives will start copying and making available online all central-government website content, beginning in November.

The Archives said it will expand its existing arrangement to permanently archive U.K. government websites with the nonprofit European Archive in Paris, which will copy the content from 1,800...