Supporting Software Preservation Services in Research and Memory Organizations (New White Paper From CLIR and Software Preservation Network)

From a Joint News Release (via CLIR)

A new white paper from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) and the Software Preservation Network (SPN) presents findings from a survey- and interview-based study of software preservation service providers, including archivists, librarians, preservation specialists, technologists, and other information professionals.

“The need for greater attention to software preservation has only grown more acute as research and memory organizations amass vast and rapidly growing collections of software,” notes the report. “Many of these organizations struggle to manage these holdings alongside other digital and physical materials, even when keeping software is essential for continuing to provide access to other digital artifacts.”

Supporting Software Preservation Services in Research and Memory Organizations identifies concepts, skill sets, barriers, and future directions related to software preservation work. Although definitions of “software” can vary across preservation contexts, the study found that there appears to be wide support for inter-organizational collaboration in software preservation. The report includes 13 recommendations for broadening representation in the field, defining the field, networking and community building, informal and formal learning, and implementing shared infrastructures and model practices.

The report is the result of research launched in 2019 by SPN’s Research-in-Practice Working Group. The authors are Jessica G. Benner, of Carnegie Mellon University; Seth Erickson of the University of California, Santa Barbara; Wendy Hagenmaier, of Georgia Tech; Monique Lassere, of Harvard University while conducting research on this report; Christa Williford, of CLIR; and Lauren Work, of the University of Virginia.

A pdf of the report and all products of this study are shared in Zenodo under open licenses that permit adaptation and reuse.

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Interviews, Journal Articles, Libraries, News, Preservation, Profiles