2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting1 Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access Summary of activity and recommendations Chris Rusbridge

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting2 Many thanks to Brian Lavoie and Fran Berman for co-chairing the Task Force, and also for allowing me to plunder many of their slides!

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting3 In around 20 minutes… Lots of background 5 Sustainability conditions 5 Challenges 3 Imperatives Some economics… 4 Domain areas Action agenda…

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting4 We greatly appreciate the funding, time, and support from our sponsors. Cohen Acoustical AK Consulting Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting5 We Depend on Digital Information E-Government E-Business Digital Entertainment Communication and Information Research and Education Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting6 Digital Access and Preservation is a technical, management, policy, regulatory, social, and economic problem Key issues to resolve: –What should we preserve? –Who is responsible for digital information? –Who pays for digital information and its supporting cyberinfrastructure? Access to Information Tomorrow Requires Preservation Today Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting7 How do we currently support access to digital information? Donations, etc. Subscriptions Government grants Advertisements Pay per service Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting8 Those who pay, those who provide, and those who benefit are not necessarily the same!

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting9 Focus on the Longer-term: The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access BRTF Charge: 1.Conduct a comprehensive analysis of sustainable digital preservation 2.Identify and evaluate best practices 3.Make specific recommendations for action 4.Articulate next steps for further work brtf.sdsc.edu Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting10 Whos Involved: BRTF-SDPA Participants Blue Ribbon Task Force: Fran Berman, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [co-Chair] Brian Lavoie, OCLC [co-Chair] Paul Ayris, University College London Sayeed Choudhury, Johns Hopkins University Elizabeth Cohen, AMPAS/Stanford Paul Courant, University of Michigan Lee Dirks, Microsoft Amy Friedlander, CLIR Vijay Gurbaxani, UC Irvine Anita Jones, University of Virginia Ann Kerr, Consultant Cliff Lynch, CNI Dan Rubinfeld, UC Berkeley Chris Rusbridge, DCC Roger Schonfeld, Ithaka Abby Smith Rumsey, Consultant Anne Van Camp, Smithsonian Liaisons NSF: Chris Greer, Lucy Nowell, Sylvia Spengler, Phil Bogden Mellon Foundation: Don Waters Library of Congress: Laura Campbell, Martha Anderson NARA: Robert Chadduck Staff and Students Task Force Administration: Susan Rathbun Communications: Jan Zverina, Ben Tolo Graduate Student Interns: Lori Eakin, Liz Bedford Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting11 BRTF Deliverables December 2008: Interim Report Foci: –Understand current practices –Synthesize major themes –Identify systemic challenges February 2010: Final Report Foci: –Structural analysis of 4 common scenarios –Recommendations and Actions –Next steps Berman/Lavoie Economic Framework 4 Common Scenarios

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting12 Context to Findings Interim Report: Problem Space, Experience Economic Framework 4 Common Scenarios Final Report: General Findings & Recommendations Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting13 BRTF Final Report: Sustainable Economics for a Digital Planet Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting14 Key Finding … sustainable economics for digital preservation is not just about finding more funds. It is about building an economic activity firmly rooted in a compelling value proposition, clear incentives to act, and well-defined preservation roles and responsibilities. Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting15 5 Challenges Long-term preservation activities funded by short-term resource allocations Challenges in valuing (and monetizing) the benefits of digital preservation, to attract funding and investment Little coordination of preservation activity across diffuse stakeholder communities Misaligned incentives between those who are in a position to preserve, and those who benefit Lack of clear responsibility for digital preservation, and a prevailing assumption it is someone elses problem Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting16 Technical SocialEconomic Frame digital preservation as a sustainable economic activity Sustainable: ongoing resource allocation over long periods of time Economic activity: deliberate allocation of resources

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting17 5 Sustainability conditions Recognition of benefits by decision-makers Incentives for decision makers to preserve in public interest Selection process for long-term value Mechanisms to secure resources –ongoing –efficient Appropriate organisation and governance

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting18 Benefits & Incentives Clearly articulate benefits of digital preservation activity –Benefits should emphasize outcomes –Articulate benefits cultivate sense of value, willingness to pay Clearly articulate incentives for decision-makers to act –Identify and leverage institutional self-interest: e.g., business opportunity; mission-driven; policy compliance –Orchestrate incentives over complete digital lifecycle Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting19 Selection & Allocation of Resources Selection: cant preserve everything for all time –Prioritization: allocate resources where they generate most value –Circumscribed set of materials; realistic preservation goals –Align expectations and capacity Support ongoing, efficient allocation of resources –Coordinate resource transfer from those who are willing to pay to those who are willing to preserve (pricing, donations, grants/taxes) –Efficiency: productive use of resources; leverage economies of scale, economies of scope Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting20 Organization & Governance Preservation activities can be managed through a variety of organizational forms: –Organization with no private interest in preservation (e.g., third party service) –Organization with private interest in preservation; preserves on behalf of itself and other organizations (e.g., research library) –Organizations with mandate to preserve, conferred by public policy, to fulfill stated public interest (e.g., national archive) Governance: strategy, responsibility, accountability –Organization/governance trust Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting21 3 Imperatives Articulate compelling value proposition –the case for preservation is the case for use Provide clear incentives to preserve in the public interest Define roles & responsibilities –ensure flow of resources –throughout digital lifecycle

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting22 Economics: core attributes Digital Preservation represents a derived demand Digital materials are depreciable durable assets Non-rival in consumption –free-rider potential Process is temporally dynamic & path-dependent –today's commitments are not for all time –today's actions can remove options for all time

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting23 Economics: choice variables Who owns? Who benefits? Who selects? Who preserves? Who pays?

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting24 4 Domain areas Commercially- Owned Cultural Content Collectively- Produced Web Content Research Data Scholarly Discourse Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting25 Scholarly Discourse Sustainability Challenges Actions Consensus about value, (less so for emerging forms) Incentives often misaligned Roles & responsibilities rooted in print era Selection criteria for emerging forms Diffuse right to preserve to those willing to act in the public interest Align responsibilities with digital environment Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting26 Research Data Sustainability Challenges Actions Vast amounts of data; Variable future value Incentives diminish as decision-making becomes more granular Fragmented decision- making/preservation Establish priorities in data selection Leading role for funders in mandating preservation Coordination and scale can leverage value and reduce costs Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting27 Commercially-Owned Cultural Content Sustainability Challenges Actions Variable/diffuse demand; digital cultural heritage uncertain Private & public incentives to preserve often competing Lack of hand-off mechanisms Define digital cultural heritage to aid selection Establish public right to preserve that protects private interests; enhance private incentives Public-private partnerships to ensure lifecycle curation Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting28 Collectively-Produced Web Content Sustainability Challenges Actions Future demand not clearly articulated Incentives to preserve are weak Ownership diffused; no clear preservation actor among current stakeholders Gather stakeholders under leadership of stewardship Organizations Use public policy to strengthen incentives Contributors and hosting services should lower barriers to 3 rd -party archives Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting29 Some General Principles Dynamics: Preservation is a series of decisions Benefits: Value of preservation based on use Selection: Scarce resources = prioritization Incentives: Strengthen, align, create Organization/Governance: Responsibilities must be clear; handoffs secure Resources: reflect community norms, flexible in face of disruptions, leverage economies of scale & scope Berman/Lavoie

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting30 Agenda for further action Organizational action –Develop public-private partnerships (cf LoC-Twitter) –Seek economies of scale and scope –Create and secure chains of stewardship over time Technical action –Build capacity and lower costs Public policy action –Address copyright barriers, clarify rights Education and public outreach action

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting31 Action agenda for… National and International agencies Funders and sponsors of data creation Stakeholder organisations Individuals … and action agendas by content domain

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting32 In conclusion… As a participant, this was a challenging but intensely interesting and valuable process Broken new ground in the economic analysis of digital preservation Laid foundations for valuable further work!

2 July 2010Chris Rusbridge Consulting33 Report Launch US Symposium, Washington 1 April 2010 UK Symposium, London 6 May 2010