The Cost to Preserve Authentic Electronic Records into Perpetuity: Comparing Costs Across Cost Models and Cost Frameworks Shelby Sanett April 3, 2003

2 The Economics of Digital Preservation Growing amounts of born digital and born-again digital material require attention Growing amounts of born digital and born-again digital material require attention Need to provide solutions that are practical, scaleable, and workable - quickly Need to provide solutions that are practical, scaleable, and workable - quickly Along with technological advances is the responsibility to develop an economic framework to assure access to preserved information over time Along with technological advances is the responsibility to develop an economic framework to assure access to preserved information over time

3 This paper… Explores issues related to cost modeling Explores issues related to cost modeling Proposes a methodology that might be used to evaluate costing frameworks and models Proposes a methodology that might be used to evaluate costing frameworks and models The methodology could then be adapted for use by libraries, archives, museums and other cultural heritage institutions The methodology could then be adapted for use by libraries, archives, museums and other cultural heritage institutions

4 Issues Related to Digital Preservation Getting the information into digital form Getting the information into digital form Keeping it in digital form Keeping it in digital form Standards to ensure a high quality result Standards to ensure a high quality result Copyright/intellectual property implications Copyright/intellectual property implications Maintaining the integrity of digitized information over time Maintaining the integrity of digitized information over time

5 More Issues… Costs of maintaining digital data Costs of maintaining digital data What form to keep digital data in?? What form to keep digital data in?? Authenticity Authenticity Technological Obsolescence Technological Obsolescence Additional information we need to keep (metadata) Additional information we need to keep (metadata)

6 Rationale to support a proposed methodology to evaluate cost models The cost to preserve electronic materials is expected to be high The cost to preserve electronic materials is expected to be high Cost models facilitate the decision-making process Cost models facilitate the decision-making process Should be able to evaluate cost models and frameworks across the models Should be able to evaluate cost models and frameworks across the models Use the information to support the choice of preservation strategy or suite of p. strategies Use the information to support the choice of preservation strategy or suite of p. strategies

7 Requirements for an evaluative strategy Flexible Flexible Credible Credible Able to apply to future costing models/frameworks Able to apply to future costing models/frameworks User friendly User friendly Easy to apply Easy to apply

8 Proposed Evaluative Criteria Acquisition and Preservation -related activities Acquisition and Preservation -related activities Access-related activities Access-related activities Elements of extant cost models and frameworks could be assigned into each of these categories Elements of extant cost models and frameworks could be assigned into each of these categories The categories can then be evaluated across the models according to institutional considerations The categories can then be evaluated across the models according to institutional considerations

9 Lets look at the original tables in your handout…

10 Next, lets look at the tables when the methodology has been applied…in your handouts

11 Comparing Across Cost Models Apply evaluative strategy to extant cost models/frameworks Apply evaluative strategy to extant cost models/frameworks Similar categories of costs can be compared across cost models/frameworks Similar categories of costs can be compared across cost models/frameworks Methodology can be customized Methodology can be customized Not all costs allocated evenly Not all costs allocated evenly

12 How does this fit into the larger picture of digital preservation? Now is the time…to develop a strategic plan for the future to assure access to preserved digital and born-again digital materials over time Now is the time…to develop a strategic plan for the future to assure access to preserved digital and born-again digital materials over time