Dear Susan,
The lifespan of polycarbonate discs, with silver/silver alloy data
layer, and "commercial" dye (aka CDs, DVDs, etc). is "on real
practice", with much luck 17 -20 years. Oxidizing processes of silver
and/or alloy and dye is very fast. It has been theoretical predicted
that with proper and careful conservation practices CDs might last
hundred years. But unfortunately...
There are new technologies (blue ray recording), gold layer discs, but
that will rise your costs enormously.
There are also other considerations tobe taken when digitizing, such
as: compatibility, data lost on transfering information (due to file
compression formats and data coding formats), migration to new
hardware platforms, etc.
For my money, I will keep my maps...
Undergoing a digitizing initiative is not an easy decision. You will
then have to take care of those discs, and believe me, they require
much more care that ancient books.
Best,
Gabriela Torres
Digital Libraries
Researcher
Universidad de las Americas - Puebla
Mexico



On 2/12/07, Susan Fishman-Armstrong <sfishman at westga.edu> wrote:
> A couple of conservation questions:
>
> Our laboratory director came to me last week.  He is starting to digitize
> his old maps on DVDs.
>
> He ran across some information that said that the lifetime of DVDs is only 5
> years.  Is that true?
> If so, what is the estimated lifespan of the gold plated DVDs?
> Finally, is the lifespan of DVDs shorter than CDs?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Susan
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Susan Fishman-Armstrong
> Laboratory Coordinator
> Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory
> University of West Georgia
> Carrollton, GA 30118
>
> 678-839-6303 (office)
> 678-839-6306 (fax)
> www.westga.edu/~ajwlab/
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu] On Behalf Of
> Amalyah Keshet
> Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 3:05 AM
> To: mcn-l at mcn.edu
> Subject: [MCN-L] IP SIG: Copyright at the Whitney: the
> Oldenburg-PicassoExhibit
>
> Interesting post at :
> http://wendy.seltzer.org/blog/
>
> "Copyright at the Whitney: the Oldenburg-Picasso Exhibit It goes without
> saying that I can't go anywhere without seeing copyright issues lurking in
> the background. The last room of the Whitney's "Picasso and American Art,"
> however, forced them to the foreground..."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Amalyah Keshet
> Head of Image Resources & Copyright Management
> The Israel Museum, Jerusalem  akeshet at imj.org.il
> Chair, MCN IP SIG   www.mcn.edu
> Blog  www.musematic.net
>
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