A preservação de documentos eletrônicos de caráter arquivístico

The continuous growth of electronic documents, particularly born-digital documents, has threatened human ability to continue using records as a reliable information source due to the new challenges imposed by the preservation. This evidence and their long-term consequences to the nation’s history and identity configured the basis of the present thesis. The lack of a consolidated research methodology in the field demanded the development of a specific process. First, the complex nature of the electronic document archival environment denoted the need to conceive a synthetic digital preservation model in the beginning of the investigation. Second, as it was impossible to directly observe long-term digital preservation cases or experiences, the information technology changes, which, in some way, can be considered as ‘induced obsolescence’, was investigated. Based upon previous premises, the present research adopted a descriptivequalitative approach, in witch the grounded theory method was applied through multiple-case studies. The main purpose was to look for factors to be monitored in an electronic document archival environment in order to assure its long-term preservation. The data gathering process involved sixteen information technology changes successfully promoted by four large Brazilian public organizations in the period of 2000-2002, and included techniques such as the content analysis on the records of the changes; individual interviews with the information technology support manager; and focal group interviews with 40 computer specialists who volunteered to participate in this research. The investigation core results include 160 digital preservation conditioning factors, that are impositions resulting from circunstances or previous decisions, which should be observed for the long term digital information preservation; a glossary of digital preservation terms and concepts for consultation and use by the archival