Digital preservation challenges

Our library is developing a digital preservation plan and we need to identify existing and emerging digital preservation challenges. What issues have libraries with digital preservation programs identified as current and future concerns?

MGallinger

• digital-preservation
• challenges

Comments

• Paul Wheatley: Are time constrained questions in scope for Stack? I'm guessing perhaps not, given the recent foofaraw about "shopping questions". Still, I like the question...
• Ashley Nunn: @MGallinger While this is an interesting question to consider, the answers are all going to be speculative, and this is more of an open-ended hypothetical question. We cannot possibly predict what might happen, as there are too many variables to account for.
• MGallinger: Yes, there are variables, but this is not an open-ended question. Adequate preservation activities require that we do our best to address unforeseen variables in a changing technical and economic landscape. Yes, it is speculative, but all planning for the future requires speculation. Without being aware of emerging trends and challenges, the field of digital preservation cannot hope to provide long term access to important content. In a field of frequent change and obsolescence, speculation is not only appropriate but a critical planning activity.
• jonsca: @MGallinger Unfortunately, it is open-ended. There is no single answer to this question that is necessarily better than any other. That makes it difficult, if not impossible, to select an answer, which puts future viewers of the question at a disadvantage. If you'd like to discuss that point further, please start a Meta.Libraries question.
• Canadian Girl Scout: @AshleyNunn Hi, I've attempted to edit this question to make it less open ended. I think that the spirit of the question is highly intriguing to library & information professionals. As I don't have enough rep. yet to vote to reopen, I hope others will choose to do so!
• Canadian Girl Scout: Hi @MGallinger, I made a few edits to improve this question and make it fit better within the scope of SE. If you were to add to your question a list of some of the things that you feel you are already adept at and aware of, then I think that would strengthen the question even further :)
• Ashley Nunn: @CanadianGirlScout The problem is that even with the vnew/emerging" phrasing, it turns into an unmanageable list, as new things will always be created, and having to constantly edit and add to answers as time goes on makes for a question that still will not fit well here unfortunately.
• Canadian Girl Scout: @AshleyNunn I hear that. That's why I posted the suggestion above to the OP that she should add content to her question. But your point is valid.
• Mary Jo Finch: I have made another attempt at an edit. The question is now "researchable" and hopefully still with in the intent of the OP.
• jonsca: @MaryJoFinch Your edit is certainly an improvement, so thank you for taking the initiative, but I think we're still on the fence as it opens the floor up to speculation, is quite open-ended, etc. I think that it would be a stronger candidate for reopening if the scope were narrowed a bit with more parameters.