The DeLorean or the Mini? Digital imperatives for publishers, digital dilemmas for repositories

The paper aims to examine the issue of the development of digital publishing and also the preservation of data.

The paper looks at literature on this issue and examines the importance of storing digital data.

The paper finds that, as writers, publishers and readers become increasingly digital, there is a greater burden being placed on libraries and other repositories to deal effectively with digital artefacts. It also reveals that preservation of digital artefacts/media is a context‐specific activity.

The paper provides an insight into the dilemma of digital preservation facing libraries and other repositories.