Approaches to the preservation of web sites

Web sites have a tendency to disappear which can result in the loss of valuable scholarly and cultural resources. Although there are a wide range of tools available for mirroring Web resources there is still no clear agreement on the strategies which should be adopted for the preservation of Web sites and the various approaches are fraught with technical and resourcing difficulties, as well as legal and copyright issues. This paper describes various approaches to the preservation of Web site and outlines some of the technical challenges. Recommendations on best practices for Web site managers and funding bodies are given.