The Past Web: Exploring Web Archives

This book provides practical information about web archives, offers inspiring examples for web archivists, raises new challenges, and shares recent research results about access methods to explore information from the past preserved by web archives. It is structured in six parts and aims to become a scholarly overview to support lecturers who would like to introduce web archiving into their courses.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 297 pages
Publication date: 02 July 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into the realm of web archives, offering invaluable practical insights and inspiring examples for web archivists. It not only addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by this rapidly evolving field but also sheds light on recent research findings related to access methods, enabling the exploration of information preserved by web archives.

The book is meticulously structured into six distinct parts, each dedicated to exploring different aspects of web archives. Part 1 serves as an introductory chapter, emphasizing the crucial role of web archives in preserving our collective memory in the digital age. It highlights the problem of web ephemera and showcases the efforts undertaken by web archivists to address this challenge. Part 2 delves into the selection of web content for preservation, exploring the strategies employed by web archives to curate diverse and valuable web resources. It provides an overview of the preservation efforts for web content, as well as smaller-scale but high-quality collections of social media or audiovisual content.

Moving forward, Part 3 presents compelling examples of initiatives aimed at improving access to archived web information. It offers a comprehensive overview of access mechanisms designed for human users and automated access by machines. Part 4 delves into the research applications of web archives, discussing how researchers can leverage these resources to uncover new insights and advance their studies. It also highlights inspiring research studies conducted using web archives as primary sources of information.

Part 5 takes a forward-thinking approach, advocating for the development of web archives as essential infrastructures for modern connected societies. It makes a strong case for transforming web archives into robust research infrastructures, enabling the creation of innovative services and applications that leverage the wealth of archived web content. Furthermore, Part 5 showcases several inspiring examples of added-value services built on web archives, demonstrating the potential for these archives to serve as valuable resources for various stakeholders.

Lastly, Part 6 reflects on the evolution of the web and the sustainability of web archiving activities. It engages in a thought-provoking debate about the requirements and challenges facing web archives as they strive to assume the responsibility of being societal infrastructures. The book concludes by offering valuable insights and recommendations for the future of web archiving, ensuring that these valuable digital resources continue to be preserved, accessed, and utilized for generations to come.

In summary, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in web archives, providing a comprehensive and insightful exploration of this dynamic field. It offers practical guidance, inspiring examples, and cutting-edge research findings, empowering web archivists and researchers to preserve, access, and utilize web information for the betterment of society.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030632939
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021