Born Digital Archives

Preserving the Digital Record of Irish Life

Born digital archives are materials that were created originally in digital form — emails, documents, digital photographs, video, audio, datasets and more. These records reflect modern Irish life and are as historically and culturally valuable as letters, manuscripts or printed books.

At the National Library of Ireland, we work to collect and protect born digital material to ensure long-term access and re-use. We keep these records accessible for the public and researchers now and in the future.

Why Born Digital Matters

• These materials are unique and often exist only in digital form. There are no paper copies to fall back on.
• They are at risk of being lost or becoming unreadable due to their inherent fragility and because of how quickly technology changes.
• They are the history of tomorrow. They capture contemporary Irish life — how we create, communicate and remember.

How We Approach the Collection of Born Digital Archives 

We work directly with individuals, communities and organisations to acquire, manage and preserve digital content that has long-term cultural, historical or research value.

This includes:

• Literary works, drafts and correspondence 
• Photographs, video and audio recordings
• Campaign materials and political records

We use specialist tools and processes to make sure these digital materials stay safe, searchable and usable, even as technology evolves.