The costs of digital preservation are widely sought, but difficult to pinpoint. Providing the administrative and technical infrastructures for digital preservation over the long term requires sustained resources.
There are many cost factors to consider, including size and scope of the organization and of the digital preservation program, types of digital materials to preserve, availability of required technology—both hardware and software—and expertise, and existing versus needed resources.
0101 Sound technology investments to enable digital preservation are a core component of any successful program. Saving pennies now may cost the organization many more in the future. Technology is not the only cost of digital preservation, but it is a significant piece that must be managed wisely.
$$$$ Digital preservation cost models are emerging. Try them on for size. Consider what you need to do to incorporate your digital preservation program into your accounting and business planning processes. Two resources that can help in that decision are the Life Cycle Information for E-Literature (LIFE) project and the final report of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access.
Exercise
Hold a brainstorming session to identify incentives for digital preservation and creative funding solutions.