The Cost to Preserve Authentic Electronic Records into Perpetuity:

Comparing Costs Across Cost Models and Cost Frameworks

Shelby SanettShelby Sanett

April 3, 2003April 3, 2003

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The Economics of Digital Preservation

Growing amounts of born digital and born-again Growing amounts of born digital and born-again digital material require attentiondigital material require attention

Need to provide solutions that are practical, Need to provide solutions that are practical, scaleable, and workable - quicklyscaleable, and workable - quickly

Along with technological advances is the Along with technological advances is the responsibility to develop an economic framework responsibility to develop an economic framework to assure access to preserved information over timeto assure access to preserved information over time

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This paper…

Explores issues related to cost modeling Explores issues related to cost modeling Proposes a methodology that might be used Proposes a methodology that might be used

to evaluate costing frameworks and modelsto evaluate costing frameworks and models The methodology could then be adapted for The methodology could then be adapted for

use by libraries, archives, museums and use by libraries, archives, museums and other cultural heritage institutionsother cultural heritage institutions

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Issues Related to Digital Preservation

Getting the information into digital formGetting the information into digital form Keeping it in digital formKeeping it in digital form Standards to ensure a high quality resultStandards to ensure a high quality result Copyright/intellectual property implicationsCopyright/intellectual property implications Maintaining the integrity of digitized information Maintaining the integrity of digitized information

over timeover time

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More Issues…

Costs of maintaining digital dataCosts of maintaining digital data What form to keep digital data in??What form to keep digital data in?? AuthenticityAuthenticity Technological ObsolescenceTechnological Obsolescence Additional information we need to keep Additional information we need to keep

(metadata)(metadata)

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Rationale to support a proposed methodology to evaluate cost

models

The cost to preserve electronic materials is The cost to preserve electronic materials is expected to be highexpected to be high

Cost models facilitate the decision-making Cost models facilitate the decision-making process process

Should be able to evaluate cost models and Should be able to evaluate cost models and frameworks across the models frameworks across the models

Use the information to support the choice of Use the information to support the choice of preservation strategy or suite of p. strategiespreservation strategy or suite of p. strategies

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Requirements for an evaluative strategy

FlexibleFlexible CredibleCredible Able to apply to future costing Able to apply to future costing

models/frameworks models/frameworks User friendlyUser friendly Easy to applyEasy to apply

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Proposed Evaluative Criteria

Acquisition and Preservation -related activitiesAcquisition and Preservation -related activities Access-related activitiesAccess-related activities Elements of extant cost models and frameworks Elements of extant cost models and frameworks

could be assigned into each of these categoriescould be assigned into each of these categories The categories can then be evaluated across the The categories can then be evaluated across the

models according to institutional considerationsmodels according to institutional considerations

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Let’s look at the original tables in your handout…

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Next, let’s look at the tables when the methodology has been applied…in your handouts

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Comparing Across Cost Models

Apply evaluative strategy to extant cost Apply evaluative strategy to extant cost models/frameworksmodels/frameworks

Similar categories of costs can be compared Similar categories of costs can be compared across cost models/frameworksacross cost models/frameworks

Methodology can be customizedMethodology can be customized Not all costs allocated evenlyNot all costs allocated evenly

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How does this fit into the larger picture of digital preservation?

Now is the time…to develop a strategic plan Now is the time…to develop a strategic plan for the future to assure access to preserved for the future to assure access to preserved digital and born-again digital materials over digital and born-again digital materials over timetime