Defining Digital Sustainability

Abstract

This paper investigates what is meant by digital sustainability and establishes that it encompasses a range of issues and concerns that contribute to the longevity of digital information. A significant and integral part of digital sustainability is digital preservation, which has focused on one technical concern after another as issues and fashions have shifted over the last twenty years. Digital sustainability is demonstrated as providing an appropriate context for digital preservation because it requires consideration of the overall life cycle, technical, and socio-technical issues associated with the creation and management of digital items.

Digital Resources for STEM Educators and Recommendations for Cyberlearning Initiatives: Results from the National Science Foundation Digital Library/Distributed Learning Program Evaluation

“…A mission statement articulates how the organization creates value; purpose, on the other hand, speaks to what that value is. The value proposition focuses more directly on the targeted audience and includes three critical features: (1) a brief definition of what the initiative is or strives to accomplish; (2) a statement of the value the user gains from investing time, effort, or money in engaging with the initiative; and (3) an explanation of why the initiative is either unique or competitive in providing that value (Bart, 1997;Bishoff and Allen, 2004;Bradley, 2007;Maron, Smith, and Loy, 2009).…”

“…An important stakeholder, particularly for grant-funded initiatives, is the parent institution (Bishoff and Allen, 2004;Bradley, 2007;D'Antoni, 2008;Downes, 2007;Friesen, 2009;Greenstein and Thorin, 2002;Guthrie, Griffiths, and Maron, 2008;Marlino et al, 2008;Maron, Smith, and Loy, 2009). Parent institutions, particularly universities, can offer significant resources in terms of indirect support (office space, computing equipment, utilities, etc.).…”

The Use of Personal Value Estimations to Select Images for Preservation in Public Library Digital Community Collections

“…For libraries and other memory organizations to create a sustainable infrastructure for digital collections or archives, they must collaborate with each other, create interoperable systems and develop standards for the creation, storage and reuse of digital content [9,10]. For the collection and preservation of personal information of value to the social and cultural record by memory organizations, individuals need to be part of the collaboration effort [11].…”

The Life3Predictive Costing Tool for Digital Collections

“…It is important to note that the technologies we employ today are not permanent solutions however [12], and that we really cannot predict what will be available in 20 years [21], so all model predictions beyond this point should really be accepted with great caution.…”

“…Institutions require an understanding of the costs of the entire digital lifecycle in all of the above situations in order to ensure sustainability and preservation [12], especially as the preservation actions involved at each stage may not be initially obvious to them [13]. The LIFE model and tool provide an accessible and practical way of determining these costs, in order that these critical decisions can be made with greater confidence.…”