Digital Preservation and Archive Policy

Argael Publisher Library is committed to maintaining the integrity, accessibility, traceability, and long-term preservation of scholarly books, monographs, textbooks, reference works, conference proceedings, research reports, and other academic publications included in its digital catalogue.

This policy explains how publication files, bibliographic metadata, catalogue pages, preview materials, and supporting records are managed to reduce the risk of loss, corruption, unauthorised alteration, or discontinuity of access.

Argael Publisher Library functions as a digital deposit, scholarly publishing catalogue, distribution platform, and knowledge repository. It is not a conventional periodical journal archive. Preservation procedures are therefore adapted to the characteristics of books, monographs, proceedings, institutional publications, and other long-form academic works.

1. Purpose of Digital Preservation

The digital preservation policy is intended to:

maintain reliable records of publications deposited in Argael Publisher Library;
preserve bibliographic metadata and publication-identification information;
protect authorised publication files from accidental loss or unauthorised modification;
support the continuity of catalogue pages and DOI landing pages where applicable;
enable the restoration or migration of publication records when technical changes occur;
maintain transparent documentation of corrections, revisions, withdrawals, and replacement files;
support the long-term discoverability of scholarly publications.

2. Materials Covered by This Policy

Depending on the publication category and the agreement with the author or rights holder, Argael Publisher Library may preserve the following materials:

final publication files in PDF or another approved digital format;
editable manuscript files, where provided and authorised for preservation;
front-cover, spine, and back-cover files;
preview or sample files made available to readers;
title pages, copyright pages, tables of contents, and author biographies;
ISBN, DOI, publication date, edition, language, and page-extent information;
author, editor, and institutional-affiliation metadata;
academic synopses, abstracts, keywords, and recommended citations;
publication, deposit, distribution, licensing, or copyright agreements;
correction, replacement, withdrawal, or version-history records;
administrative documentation required for publication management.

Not every preserved file is necessarily made available to the public. Public access depends on copyright ownership, licensing terms, commercial status, authorisation, and the access model assigned to each publication.

3. Preservation of Full-Text Files

For publications offered through controlled access, purchase, subscription, or institutional licensing, the complete PDF may be stored as a preservation and distribution copy without being openly downloadable from the public catalogue page.

The public catalogue page may display only:

bibliographic metadata;
the front cover;
an academic synopsis;
keywords;
the table of contents;
selected preview pages;
ISBN and DOI information, where applicable;
purchase, subscription, or access instructions.

Readers seeking the complete publication may obtain access through the authorised purchasing, subscription, institutional, or direct-request procedure stated on the relevant publication page.

4. File Integrity and Version Control

Argael Publisher Library seeks to preserve the integrity of deposited files by maintaining a clearly identified final version for each publication. Where revisions are required after publication, the original and revised records should be distinguished through appropriate documentation.

Changes may include:

correction of typographical or formatting errors;
replacement of an incomplete or corrupted file;
correction of bibliographic metadata;
addition or correction of an ISBN or DOI;
revision following a formal corrigendum or erratum;
replacement by a new edition;
withdrawal following a legal, ethical, or copyright concern.

Minor corrections that do not alter the intellectual substance of a work may be incorporated into the active publication file. Substantive revisions, new editions, or major content changes should be identified separately and may require new publication metadata, a new ISBN, or a new DOI depending on the nature of the change.

5. Metadata Preservation

Bibliographic metadata are treated as an essential component of digital preservation. Argael Publisher Library seeks to maintain accurate and consistent information concerning:

publication title and subtitle;
author and editor names;
institutional affiliations;
publication year and edition;
publisher identity;
ISBN and DOI;
language;
number of pages;
publication category;
keywords and academic synopsis;
copyright and licensing information;
recommended citation;
access and distribution status.

Metadata may remain publicly visible even where the complete publication is commercially restricted, withdrawn from sale, or no longer available for immediate distribution. This supports bibliographic continuity and scholarly traceability.

6. Persistent Identifiers and Landing Pages

Where a DOI has been registered for a publication, Argael Publisher Library seeks to maintain an active and accurate landing page for the DOI. The landing page should provide sufficient bibliographic information to identify the work and explain how it may be accessed.

If the location of the publication page changes, the DOI destination should be updated through the relevant registration mechanism. A DOI is intended to provide persistent identification, but its effective continuity depends on accurate metadata and responsible maintenance of the destination URL.

An ISBN and DOI serve different functions. The ISBN identifies a particular book edition or format, while the DOI identifies a registered digital publication object. Both identifiers should be recorded accurately and must not be assigned or displayed in a misleading manner.

7. Backup and Storage

Argael Publisher Library seeks to maintain publication records and authorised files through controlled digital storage and backup procedures. Depending on technical capacity and contractual requirements, preservation measures may include:

storage of publication files outside the publicly accessible website directory;
maintenance of working and preservation copies;
periodic backup of website data and publication metadata;
separate storage of cover files, full-text files, and supporting documents;
restricted administrative access to complete publication files;
restoration procedures in the event of technical failure;
migration of publication records when the platform or hosting environment changes.

Backup copies are intended for restoration and preservation purposes. They do not create additional public distribution rights beyond those established in the relevant publishing, deposit, copyright, or licensing agreement.

8. Preferred Digital Formats

Authors and institutional partners are encouraged to submit publication files in stable and widely supported formats. Preferred formats may include:

PDF for final publication and controlled distribution;
PDF/A where available for long-term preservation;
DOCX or another editable format for authorised editorial and production work;
PNG, TIFF, JPEG, SVG, or another appropriate format for images and covers;
structured metadata in a format compatible with the publishing platform and relevant registration services.

Files containing password restrictions, damaged fonts, unreadable scans, unsupported encryption, or incomplete embedded elements may require correction before they can be accepted for preservation or distribution.

9. Format Migration

Digital formats and publishing technologies may become obsolete over time. Where technically and legally feasible, Argael Publisher Library may convert or migrate publication files to a more stable or accessible format.

Format migration should preserve the intellectual content and visual integrity of the publication as closely as possible. It should not be used to alter authorship, academic claims, copyright ownership, or the substantive meaning of the work.

10. Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawals

Argael Publisher Library may correct, replace, restrict, withdraw, or remove access to a publication where justified by:

verified plagiarism;
copyright infringement;
false authorship or affiliation information;
fabricated or falsified information;
serious legal or ethical concerns;
unauthorised publication or distribution;
material errors affecting the reliability of the work;
a formal request supported by valid legal or contractual grounds.

Where appropriate, the bibliographic record may be retained with a notice explaining that the publication has been corrected, replaced, withdrawn, or restricted. Complete deletion of all metadata should be reserved for exceptional circumstances, particularly where continued display creates a legal, ethical, privacy, or safety risk.

11. Author and Rights-Holder Responsibilities

Authors, editors, and institutional partners are responsible for providing accurate files and metadata. They must ensure that:

the deposited work is the correct and authorised version;
all authors and editors have approved the publication arrangement;
copyright ownership and third-party permissions are clearly documented;
ISBN, DOI, author names, affiliations, and publication dates are accurate;
confidential or restricted information has not been included without permission;
any replacement file is clearly identified and authorised;
the publisher is informed of material errors or legal concerns affecting the publication.

12. Continuity of Access

Argael Publisher Library seeks to maintain continuous access to publication metadata and authorised materials. However, temporary interruption may occur because of maintenance, hosting changes, cybersecurity incidents, software updates, platform migration, or other technical circumstances.

Where the platform structure changes, reasonable efforts will be made to preserve publication records, restore catalogue pages, and update relevant links or DOI destinations.

13. External Preservation Services

Argael Publisher Library will only claim participation in an external preservation network or archiving service when such participation has been formally activated and verified.

External services may include institutional repositories, national libraries, preservation networks, library catalogues, or other authorised archival systems. Where such arrangements are implemented, the relevant service and scope of preservation will be stated publicly.

The absence of a statement regarding LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, PKP Preservation Network, Portico, Internet Archive, or another external service should not be interpreted as confirmed participation in that service.

14. Access after Commercial Discontinuation

A publication may remain bibliographically recorded even when it is no longer offered for sale. Depending on the applicable agreement, access may continue through:

authorised institutional holdings;
library acquisition records;
previously completed purchases;
controlled archival access;
direct permission from the author, rights holder, or publisher.

The discontinuation of sales does not automatically invalidate the ISBN, DOI, citation history, or bibliographic record of a legitimately published work.

15. Policy Review

This policy may be reviewed and updated in response to changes in publishing technology, preservation standards, copyright requirements, registration systems, institutional collaboration, or the technical infrastructure of Argael Publisher Library.

Material changes to the policy should be published on this page with an appropriate revision date.

16. Contact

Questions concerning digital preservation, publication files, metadata corrections, DOI landing pages, withdrawn works, replacement files, archive access, or institutional deposit may be directed to:

Argael Publisher Administration
Email: argaabdi@gmail.com
WhatsApp: Please use the official Chat Us button displayed on this website.

Argael Publisher Library — Preserving Scholarly Publications, Maintaining Bibliographic Integrity, and Supporting Sustainable Access to Knowledge.