It states that the State Historical Society will not be turning its back on electronic records issues, but rather will be issuing and enforcing policies concerning their long-term maintenance and preservation as per its authority in Idaho Code.

Acknowledgment
The Idaho State Historical Society wishes to acknowledge both the US Task Force on Archiving of Digital Information, and the National Library of Australia, whose principles for preserving access to digital material have guided and influenced the following.

Vision
In the first decade of the 21st Century the Idaho State Historical Society will be implementing strategies which will enable the people of Idaho to have appropriate, timely and equitable continuing access to electronic information.

Introduction
As the twentieth century draws to a close, an ever-increasing quantity of information is created, stored, disseminated and accessed in digital form. Digital objects include data stored in digital form and accessed using electronic equipment. For example, databases, images, sound, video, text-based documents and record-keeping systems may be digital objects. Access is often dependent on a specific combination of equipment and electronic methods of manipulation or
display (software). Some digital objects are accessible only by acquiring a physical item such as a tape or CD-ROM while others are accessible through electronic networks.

The Idaho State Historical Society will need to develop a range of strategies to ensure the preservation of and access to various categories of digital objects. Custodial and non-custodial arrangements will need to be considered both from a preservation and an access perspective. Preserving access to digital objects will need to be planned prior to creation if possible and considered throughout the life of the object. Points at which preserving access needs to be considered include:

• systems design;
• information creation;
• creation and capture of metadata and other essential contextual information;
• identification/appraisal/selection/collection of digital objects;
• intellectual control and provision of access facilities to the digital objects;
• management, maintenance and migration of the digital objects over time; and
• ongoing assessment of the continuing significance and value of the objects for future
  retention and access.

Notwithstanding the different strategies that will be necessary for different categories of digital objects at different stages in their life-span, seven principles have been identified that underpin all strategies. Please note that all seven of these principles are interdependent and that no one principle is more important than any other principle. Individual principles should not be considered in isolation from the other six principles. They apply to all categories of digital objects, both in single item form and in aggregations. For the purposes of this document, a digital object is defined as one which has been created by a person residing within Idaho or which has a significant proportion dealing with a subject of social, political, cultural, scientific or economic significance and relevance to Idaho.

Principles
In an electronic environment the following principles must be applied to ensure continuing access to all categories of significant digital objects:

Principle 1: Cooperation
The cooperation of all with a role in the generation, use, management, distribution and preservation of digital objects is essential. Continuing access to digital objects will be dependent on the cooperation of information creators, information system designers, manufacturers, publishers/distributors and information custodians and providers.

 

Principle 2: Roles of Creator
Creators of digital objects have the initial and in some cases a continuing role in preserving access to them. Unless creators take initial steps to facilitate ongoing access to their material, access may be lost or the ability of another body to take responsibility for preserving access may be severely inhibited.

 

Principle 3: Distributed Responsibility
The location, selection, identification/cataloguing and retention of digital objects will be best achieved through the coordinated distribution of responsibilities. A statewide network of archives, collecting organizations and other information providers operating through formal agreements in which responsibilities are well-defined will best serve to preserve access to significant digital objects.

 

Principle 4: Appraisal
Access to digital objects should be preserved only for as long as they are judged to have continuing value and significance. It is neither practical nor desirable to maintain access to all digital objects indefinitely. In applying professional judgement to appraising items, consideration should be given to balancing costs and benefits, including the likely needs and interests of future generations.

 

Principle 5: Rights
Rights of creators, owners, providers, users and subjects of digital objects must be balanced and protected. The preservation of significant digital objects should not be jeopardized by censorship of form or content. Rights of access and the right to receive benefits arising from the digital object need to be carefully balanced and protected.

 

Principle 6: Strategies
The adoption of best practices and standards is essential. Strategies to preserve access to digital objects must consider the integrity and functionality of these digital objects. Standard metadata elements should be used to ensure access to the information. Continuing research and dissemination of findings is essential. Strategies to preserve access to digital objects will need to be periodically reviewed and modified to reflect current best practice.

 

Principle 7: Roles of the Idaho State Historical Society
The State Historical Society has been given the responsibility and authority by state law to collect for preservation and display, artifacts and information illustrative of Idaho history, culture and society; to encourage creation of county historical societies and museums in the counties of Idaho; to establish unified state archives in order to preserve and protect the government records of enduring value; and to facilitate the use of Idaho records for official reference and historical research. Appropriate rules, policies and procedures are essential for the continuing and equitable access to digital objects in Idaho.