The British Journal of Surgical Science (BJSS) is committed to ensuring the long-term accessibility, integrity, and preservation of its scholarly content. The journal recognizes that digital content must be actively preserved to remain accessible for future generations of researchers and clinicians.

1. Preservation Mechanisms

BJSS employs recognized digital preservation systems to secure its content:

• LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) – Ensures distributed archiving of published content across participating libraries, protecting against data loss.
• PKP PN (Public Knowledge Project Preservation Network) – Provides secure archiving of journal content in multiple repositories, guaranteeing continued access. View Archival Status into Keepers Registry.
• Institutional and server backups – Regularly scheduled backups of all journal files are maintained on secure, redundant servers.

Additional mechanisms may include integration with CLOCKSS or other national/international digital archives to further enhance redundancy and long-term access.

2. Format and Accessibility

• All published content is stored in open, widely accepted digital formats (PDF/A, XML) to ensure readability and migration in the future.
• Metadata is stored according to industry standards to support indexing, discovery, and interoperability with digital preservation systems.

3. Long-Term Continuity

BJSS guarantees:

• Permanent retention of all articles published in the journal.
• Redundant archiving across multiple repositories to protect against accidental loss or technical failures.
• Maintenance of the version of record to ensure citation stability.
• Regular system audits and checks to verify file integrity.

4. Author and Reader Assurance

By publishing with BJSS:

• Authors can be confident that their work will remain accessible indefinitely.
• Readers and researchers can reliably cite and retrieve content long-term.
• The journal ensures adherence to international best practices in digital preservation.

Summary Statement

The BJSS Digital Preservation Policy ensures that all published content is secure, discoverable, and permanently accessible, leveraging industry-standard systems such as LOCKSS and PKP PN, along with institutional backups and adherence to open digital formats.