Conference report

What can I say about the SoA conference? It was a disappointment really. Too much emphasis on access and not enough attention paid to preservation. Too many indications that we're still not coping with, let alone embracing, many of the challenges and opportunities offered by digital records. The most striking thread running through the week was that archivists are cautious and fearful; that we lack confidence when dealing wiht new technology and researcher behaviour. I find this depressing.

But, there were some good bits:

• the opening speeches were all excellent and thought provoking;
• the Planets project, based at the British Library, looks like it's doing positive and useful stuff;
• Tim Padfield;
• the Southampton University's Non-Contact Surface Scanning Systems for the Retrieval and Protection of Archives Sound Recordings - brilliant; and
• the Victorian lantern show.

The conference gave me stuff to think about which I hope to make the subject of future posts.