The Strategic Content Alliance Sustaining Digital Resources

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The Strategic Content Alliance

Sustaining Digital Resources:An On-the-Ground View of Projects TodaySarah Fahmy

Manager, Strategic Content Alliance

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The Strategic Content AllianceThe e-Content Marathon – another “digital divide”

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The Sponsors

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The e-Content Framework components

(The SCA is developing these themes for the e-Content Framework)

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Advocacy, Adaptation and Adoption…

Policy makers…dialogue and influence Practitioners…retooling and re-skilling

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Sustainability: No end of big issues!

Fragile and hostile economy Government instability in the UK

– UK university budgets to be cut £449 million in 2010-11, with £215 million cuts for teaching and research funding flat

– Uncertainty about what further cuts a new government might bring- the famous £6.2 billion this year

– Potential cuts in Scotland of £25-30 billion over next 5 years – Return to current spending patterns only happening in 2022- 2025

What are the consequences for innovation in libraries, cultural heritage, and related sectors?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/off2onmedia/2721600281/

Project perspective

Pain points at every stage in the life cycle of a funded project:

– Previously funded projects asking for more funding at the end of their initial grant cycle out of a dwindling fund

– Once the project’s initial grant ends, less funding available for on-going support from libraries, universities, and other host institutions

– More innovative projects seeking start-up funding

– Long-term risk that projects are not being digitally preserved

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From theory to practice

Ithaka’s 2008 report on sustainability outlined the mindsets and strategic shifts needed for digital resources to thrive.

With support from SCA, NEH, and NSF, Ithaka undertook a second round of research and analysis, profiling 12 projects deeply engaged in creating and sustaining digital resources.

Sustaining Digital Resources: An On-the-Ground View of Projects Today (2009) is the result of that inquiry – 12 case studies and a summary report.

Sustaining Digital Resources:An On-the-Ground View of Projects Today (2009)

“Sustainability is the ability to generate or gain access to the resources—financial or otherwise—needed to protect and increase the value of the content or service for those who use it”

Empower leadership to define the mission and take action

Create a strong value proposition

Creatively manage costs

Cultivate diverse sources of revenue

Establish realistic goals and a system of accountability

Five Steps to Sustainability

Empower leadership

Found that successful projects have leaders who:

– are strongly dedicated to the projects

– pursue new opportunities and risks

– hire talented staff– build capacity for

entrepreneurship and innovation in project leaders

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deniscollette/1817034358/

Create a strong value proposition

Project leaders:

– Create a resource that offers unique value, and understand that value

– Deeply understand to whom the resource offers value, and why

– Continue to add value to the resource based on an understanding of users’ needs

– Is value articulated from the start?

Creatively manage costs

Project leaders:– Minimise direct costs– Secure contributions from the

host institutions– Outsource to vendors– Recruit volunteers– Need accurate and full

accounting of operating co– Our research pointed out that

host institutions may be less able to provide the in-kind support that was possible in a stronger economies

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davebr/524629324/

Cultivate diverse sources of revenue

Project leaders:– Cultivate sources of revenue

to cover both direct costs and ongoing upgrades

– Experiment with different revenue models

– Clearly identify the value of the resource to the target audiences

– Consider diverse sources of revenue

– policies regarding IP constrain revenue options for projects

– revenue projections? http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilsingapore/4085711803/

Establish realistic goals and accountability

Project leaders:– Establish goals and targets

with their host institutions– Determine balance between

financial and mission goals– Assess progress– Connect their broad mission to

quantifiable targets– Measurable goals and

objectives– Impact reports

http://www.flickr.com/photos/magic-mushroom/2779236762

Empower leadership to define the mission and take action

Create a strong value proposition

Creatively manage costs

Cultivate diverse sources of revenue

Establish realistic goals and a system of accountability

Five Steps to Sustainability

Digital lifecycle strategy

Create an effective digital lifecycle strategy using these themes.

  What is meant by each of the

themes? In what order should each theme

be considered and why? Do you know of any examples or

illustrations of how and why this sequence has been successful?

Are there any categories or issues that you would wish to add to your strategy and why?

Themes Dedicated and entrepreneurial

personnel; A clear value proposition; Minimising indirect cost ; Metrics for success; Experimentation; User Requirements Who owns the content? Issue of IPR

and 3rd party content; Size of collection/ quantity of content

being considered; Type of organisation involved in terms

role, remit and public responsibility; Developing diverse sources of revenue

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That’s all folks!

Thank you for listening and any questions?

For Further information please contact me at…..

Sarah Fahmy

s.fahmy@jisc.ac.uk