NARA seeks funds for digital archiving

The National Archives and Records Administration has proposed adding $400,000 to its budget to begin developing a system for digital records projects, including archiving federal agencies' e-mail.

The request also would be used to build systems for preserving digital image files and to devise a prototype for a system that researchers can use to access electronic records that NARA holds. The agency would hire seven employees to work on these projects.

NARA has a little more than $2 million this year for electronic records projects. Some of the funds are being spent to study options for the systems proposed in the fiscal 2000 budget.

The agency would spend an additional $859,000 to convert legacy databases and paper finding aids to the Archival Research Catalog, an online index of NARA's holdings. Congress gave NARA $4.5 million to develop the system three years ago, and that stage of the project is expected to be completed this year.