The TFAO Free Online Digital Library

 

(above: Edward Henry Potthast, At the Beach, c.1918, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 inches, Christies. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*)

 

Durability and protection of content

It is our intent to store content within our online library as long as we have the means of doing so. A durability goal shared by our library and other digital knowledge repositories is to have a long-lasting and stable platform that will survive changes in software and hardware utilized by patrons. We have chosen HTML and the internet as the tools to make this goal possible. Since the data within TFAO is digitized, eventual changes in storage and delivery systems can be readily accomplished. Please also see acquisition and deselection of content. We seek to convert in the near future our editing software to a more current format and enable remote editing.

Our library stores content in several locations. Primary storage is on our equipment. Further protection is provided through mirror copies of contents on servers of our external hosting service.

Because of the method by which our information is created and stored, further protection is provided by caches in online archives. The vast majority of our recently added or edited files and many predecessor iterations have been available online since January 15, 1998 via the Internet Archive. (right: Internet Archive Wayback Machine logo courtesy Internet Archive)

Google developed more recently Google Cache which performs a archival solution similar to the Wayback Machine, sometimes offering more up-to-date page information, sometimes less. Here is a May, 2023 partial page screenshot:

 

 

Source: Google

 

As a further backup mechanism for our content, various AI large language models may "scrape" our online files to add them to their databases.

 

Go to:

Digital libraries

Digitizing initiatives

TFAO digital library overview

Acquisition and deselection of content

Content retrieval

Usage

Web connectivity

Durability and protection of content

Open access

eBooks and public libraries

A vision of the future for digital libraries

A vision of the future for TFAO


*Tag for expired US copyright of object image:

 

TFAO catalogues:

American Representational Art links to dozens of topics in American Representational Art

Audio Online a catalogue of online streaming audio recordings

Collections of Historic American Art notable private collections

Distinguished Artists a national registry of historic artists

Geographic Tour of American Representational Art History a catalogue of articles and essays that describe the evolution of American art from the inception of the United States to WWII.

Illustrated Audio Online streaming online narrated slide shows

Articles and Essays Online substantive texts published outside of Resource Library

Videos Online a comprehensive catalogue of online full motion videos streamed free to viewers

Videos an authoritative guide to videos in VHS and DVD format

Books general reference books published on paper

Interactive media media in CD-ROM format

Magazines paper-published magazines and journals

Links to sources of information outside of our web site are provided only as referrals for your further consideration. Please use due diligence in judging the quality of information contained in these and all other web sites. Information from linked sources may be inaccurate or out of date. TFAO neither recommends or endorses these referenced organizations. Although TFAO includes links to other web sites, it takes no responsibility for the content or information contained on those other sites, nor exerts any editorial or other control over them. For more information on evaluating web pages see TFAO's General Resources section in Online Resources for Collectors and Students of Art History.

 

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