Librarians and archivists are responsible for preserving the record of botanical science - a large, complex and daunting task. Data and records created for one purpose may be useful for other purposes later. Scientists must think about their work, published and unpublished, print and electronic. The need for preservation transcends boundaries, requiring global thinking and local action. We need many coordinated preservation efforts all over the world, and information on their scope and status.
Many information professionals find digitization great for access, poor for preservation.
Electronic information has become an alternative to traditional publication and information sharing, but it can deteriorate more quickly than paper. The ephemeral nature of electronic information, the need for constant data conversion, and the resources needed for long-term storage and retrieval all raise problems for preservation. Magnetic media are also at risk. Libraries are wrestling with these issues now. Only internationally recognized standards and an understanding of preservation requirements and limitations will safeguard scientific knowledge for the future.