Preservation and access

Preserve documentary material so it remains usable, attributable and intelligible over time.

The Library preserves documentary collections, editions, metadata and context. Where formats change, migration should preserve provenance and identify significant changes.

Access depends on rights, sensitivity, collection condition and the purpose for which material can lawfully be made available. A public catalogue record may therefore coexist with restricted access to the underlying material.

The National Archives remains responsible for public-record archival custody; the Intellectual Property Office supports copyright and licensing administration; those functions are not absorbed into the Library.