Please excuse cross postings. Thanks, Smita C. Librarian Indian Institute of Geomagnetism New Mumbai The first of a series of Technology Watch reports commissioned by the DPC is now available from: http://www.dpconline.org/graphics/reports/index.html#intoais The aims of the DPC Technology Watch Service are to identify and track developments in IT, standards and tools which are critical to digital preservation activities. The DPC has commissioned reports from experts on topics known to be of crucial interest and importance for digital preservation. The reports have been specifically commissioned to be written in a style which is suitable for a national and international audience with a wide range of backgrounds and written in clear, plain English which avoids unnecessary jargon and acronyms. The first of these reports is a DPC/OCLC report on An Introduction to OAIS (Open Archival Information System), authored by Brian Lavoie, from OCLC. The influence of OAIS extended, at a very early stage, well beyond the space data community it was initiated by but it still retains an aura of a complex framework applicable only to a highly specialised community. This report provides a clear introduction to OAIS accessible to all who have an interest in preserving digital information. It provides practical examples as well as contextual information about the development of OAIS. **************************** Maggie Jones DPC Coordinator Raymond Burton Library University of York Heslington YORK Y010 5DD Tel: +44 (0) 1904 321 131 Email: mjj4@york.ac.uk http://www.dpconline.org