The reliability of optical memories in the long-term preservation of digital documents

Optical media (such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray Disc) are probably among the most commonly used media for the preservation of digital records over time, especially in the case of digital archives whose producers are individuals, families or small to medium sized organizations. These media are fragile and it is important to know precisely how to manage them and which precautions should be taken in order to get reasonable assurance on their ability to preserve documents. This article aims to clarify what are the critical issues of optical media, how to take care of them and what are the strategies to be put in place to prevent the loss of documents that are stored on them.