Backing up floppies - a survey David_Fisher@UCSDLIBRARY.UCSD.EDU 23 May 1997 17:52 UTC
This notice has been cross posted. Forgive the duplication. ---------------------------------------------------- The UCSD Libraries are convening a task group to explore the possibility of discontinuing the production of backup copies of data on floppy discs that accompany books and journals. Our current practice is to back up all accompanying floppies, circulate the backup copy and archive the master in our Systems Dept. Before we sit down to discuss discontinuing this practice I'd like to get some answers to the following questions: 1) Have others among you implemented such a policy and, if so, are you satisfied with the results? Please describe. 2) If you answered yes to the first question, have you had to acquire replacement copies of floppies that accompany books or journal issues in the aftermarket. a) If yes, please cite the sources you've found most useful. b) If acquiring floppies in the aftermarket has been problematic, please describe. 3) Regardless of whether you maintain backup copies or not, do you have a policy in place to "Refresh" your discs periodically to prevent corruption as they age? If so, please describe. Thanks for taking the time to respond to these questions. Please respond to me privately as well as to the listserv, as I'm under time constraints to gather this information quickly. From: David_Fisher@UCSDLIBRARY.UCSD.EDU "Because of the workload and processing issues surrounding making backup copies of commercial software/data purchased for library collections (usually accompanying a book or serial), I would like to convene an Ad Hoc task group to explore the possibility of doing away with this task. The group will be charged to prepare a recommendation ... "The current process is that Catalog Dept. staff make backup copies of floppy disks, which are then sent with the materials to their respective library collections. The original software then goes to ... storage. ...we question whether the activity should be done at all. How often do we go to our backups? What are the risks if we abandon them? We are also concerned...that we need to have a "refresh" system in place, as the data on floppy disks can become corrupt after about five years.