L’archivage du Web : bibliothèques et archives à la croisée des chemins

In a few years, the Web has become an essential medium for the communication of information. However, the very nature of the Web calls into question one of the main functions of cultural institutions: heritage conservation. This is very much case for national libraries, which are often charged with the mission of legal deposit: collecting and conserving all of the scientific and cultural production of a nation. To meet the challenges of archiving such a vast and heterogeneous mass of data, the libraries have begun to question their approaches. They have in particular been inspired by steps undertaken with other professional communities, especially archivists. The terminology and certain methods of archival science have often been employed, including an emphasis on acquisition and the practice of sampling. In fact, collections have a hybrid status, as both publication and archives. When the archives of the Web are artifacts, complex aggregates, the question of authenticity also occupies a determinative place. Openness to new approaches – which does not mean a fusion of professional identities – should lead to cooperation between institutions.