The Working Group which I chair was formed in 1992 as a direct consequence of Resolution C13 (1991), which encouraged means to archive and distribute (specifically) spectroscopic data and recognized the need to safeguard photographic observations.  In respect of that need the WG has considered various models for national or international centres to collect and store plates, and is actively pursuing a scheme to digitize specific subsections of spectrograms - notably the high-dispersion material and anything pertaining to objects known to vary.  The project to store and scan became known as the 'Virtual Observatory' and has had a Web page for more than 2 years (http://herbie.ucolick.org/techdocs/vo), but in deference to the recent proliferation of concepts for virtual observatories we have modified the name to 'Spectroscopic Virtual Observatory' (SVO).

SVO plans to establish a laboratory where it can install and operate suitable digitizing equipment.  It will need a staff of about five (manager, researchers and technicians), plus part-time or casual assistants for administration, cataloguing, and manual tasks.  It will deal with one plate archive at a time, first generating a digital catalogue and then scanning selectively, basing its choices upon the objects in question and the perceived quality and potential of the material.  The measured transmissions will be calibrated in-house, so that fully-reduced spectra are released into the public electronic domain.

Photographic archives have special importance in that they cover a much longer time-base (some 80 years or more) than can be re-observed digitally within the duration of a modern project.  They also include records of events that will not be repeated.  The existence of digital spectra alongside modern material will therefore complement research by including the time-dimension.  Large, homogeneous sets will also provide good bases for statistics; long series, the products of specific observatory programmes, have particular potential.  On the other hand, not only is the original material steadily deteriorating, but the necessary equipment is becoming obsolete and expertise is not being replaced. There is thus a real sense of urgency to commence this project before any more irreversible changes have occurred.  Negotiations are currently under way to create SVO in North America.  An international project of this nature will need to be self-financing, so private sponsorship will be sought once a location for the project has been agreed in principle.

In parallel with SVO, another digitizing project, UDAPAC (the Uccle Direct Astronomical Plate Archive Centre; http://udapac.oma.be), has been launched at the Royal Observatory of Belgium.  Its remit is to collect, catalogue and preserve the inactive collections of direct plates currently stored in Europe, and to carry out a programme of digitization within a period of 5 years.  The tasks necessary for achieving the objectives of UDAPAC are being shared among its Support Team (initially from 9 countries) and consultants.  The tasks include refurbishing the allocated storage area, installing hardware, pursuing pilot research projects, and creating a digital interface for world access. The scanning will be accomplished with a variety of techniques and instruments, and will also be subject to scientific and historic selection and prioritization.  As with SVO, UDAPAC will need to find its own funding, and intends to pursue that quest in stages.

These two projects are now exemplars for tackling the growing problems facing the world's heritage of photographic archives (IAU Resolution B3, 2000).  Both will need to evolve an eventual long-term solution for preserving those plates which a parent observatory does not wish to store any longer.