I am happy to announce that the Print Archives Preservation Registry (PAPR) is now available online at http://papr.crl.edu.  The registry is designed to support archiving and management of serial collections by providing detailed information about the titles, holdings, and terms and conditions of the major print archiving programs.  PAPR now includes a searchable database, tab-delimited reports for download and the simultaneous display of title and holdings information from multiple print archiving programs, including the Western Regional Storage Trust (WEST), Law Library Microform Consortium (LLMC), and CRL’s JSTOR archive.  It also references titles held in digital format by Portico and CLOCKSS.  Most of the records included at this time are for the WEST project archives.

Informed Collection Management

PAPR is a product of CRL’s effort to provide much-needed support for the archiving and prudent management of serial collections.  As you know, CRL holds last copy collections in several domains, and has recently established an archiving partnership with the Linda Hall Library to preserve collections in the realm of Science, Technology and Engineering.  With support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, CRL has also begun to support library decision-making on the retention and development of a wider array of physical collections.  The reports of CRL’s audits of digital repositories like Portico, HathiTrust and Scholars Portal are meant to help libraries determine the extent to which they can count on those services to supplant and even augment local print holdings.   CRL’s Global Resources Forum is a set of events and resources designed to pool expertise and best practices on collection development and management.   PAPR builds upon this foundation of support.

Development Partners and Phases

The California Digital Library (CDL) is CRL’s development partner for PAPR.  Additional advisory services were provided by CRL consultant Lizanne Payne and Ithaka S+R.  Development of the system will continue, in order to serve the ever expanding needs of the community.  This first phase focused on developing a data analysis system for WEST and on using the standards developed by the OCLC print archives disclosure pilot project to transmit data via the MARC field 583.  The next phase will address additional functional, data and user needs.

Please remember that at this time the registry is a work in progress.  Its usefulness as a tool will depend upon input and participation by the CRL community.   Therefore we welcome your ideas and feedback.  Please send your comments to Amy Wood, CRL Senior Director of Technical Services at awood@crl.edu.

Many thanks for your continuing support for, and participation in, CRL.