I was recently asked by a client if I had a high def quality copy of their logo.
Answer: Yes. 7 versions, from 2010 (most recent version).
They weren’t on the web server, but within the client email history and on a computer we use for design. So actually, we had two sets of copies.
This is one of the quiet benefits of having a long-term web developer – that of archivist. Documents, scripts, links, images, videos…. anything that a client decides should go through the web developer in order to show up on the web site is most likely archived there. Organizations that spread web responsibility around, or change the responsibility of the web site from one person to another on a semi-common basis, can strongly benefit from that central archivist.
The business of web development tends to cause us to become file pack rats. So, if you’ve had your web developer in place for several years, don’t be shy to use him or her as a file resource if you can’t find something related to your web site that you should have.