Digital Preservation Coalition - Handbook - Decision Tree

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Interactive Assessment: Selection of Digital Materials for Long-term Retention

Selection > Rights & Responsibilities > Technical / Costs > Documentation & Metadata / Costs

Selection of Content and Version

Selection 1

Does the content of this resource fall within the institutional remit/collection development policy?

Selection of Content and Version

Selection 2

Does assessment of long term value justify preservation?

You answered No to Selection 1 - please answer Selection 2

Decisions on long-term value will include consideration of the following:

Is there a legal requirement associated with the material?
Is the material of high value to your institutions’ business/mission?
Is the information content of high quality?
Do you have or can you negotiate acceptable access arrangements?
Could it reasonably be considered to be an important example of its type?
Is it likely to be required for future research?

Answering 'yes' to one or more of the above questions should automatically mean selection for long-term preservation if no one else has accepted preservation responsibility.

You answered No to Selection 2 - Please answer Selection 3

Selection of Content and Version

Selection 3

Do you need to acquire for other purposes, e.g. reference?

You answered Yes to Selection 3 and thus reached a natural end to the Decision Tree. The following advice is based on your answers to the questions.

Advice

Acquire for use but not preservation.

For further help in developing a policy on selection of digital materials for long-term preservation please go to Guidance

You answered No to Selection 3 and thus reached a natural end to the Decision Tree. The following advice is based on your answers to the questions.

Advice

Don't acquire.

For further help in developing a policy on selection of digital materials for long-term preservation please go to Guidance

Selection of Content and Version

Selection 4

Does the resource exist in multiple media formats (e.g. print and digital)?

You answered Yes to Selection 1 - Please answer Selection 4

You answered Yes to Selection 2 - Please answer Selection 4

Selection of Content and Version

Selection 5

Should the digital version be selected for preservation?

You answered Yes to Selection 4 - Please answer Selection 5

Decisions will include consideration of the following factors:

Predicted preferred format of users;
Technical considerations regarding ease of use and ability to maintain over time;
Whether the resource is required short-term only;
Whether there are significant variations between formats for them to be considered different versions.
Whether functionality of one version offers greater scope for use.

You answered No to Selection 5 and thus reached a natural end to the Decision Tree. The following advice is based on your answers to the questions.

Advice

Acquire for use but not preservation.

For further help in developing a policy on selection of digital materials for long-term preservation please go to Guidance