Phase III: Sustainability

When we think of repository sustainability, most of us think first about the financial planning to ensure the continued viability of the repository. And while financial stability is a primary consideration, there is more to maintaining a robust repository than ensuring adequate funding. In the report “Sustainability and Revenue Models for Online Academic Resources: An Ithaka Report [PDF]”, the authors suggest defining sustainability asthe “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.“ This broader definition takes into account that there are other elements, in addition to finances, that are critical to continued repository success. The report offers, as one example, that “a cadre of professors who contribute and edit content or the presence of a strong and vocal community of advocates…can play a vital role in the long-term success of a resource.”

Some important aspects of repository maintenance are discussed in the following pages and include:

• implementing strategies to ensure financial stability
• gathering input from stakeholders and users so you can continue to meet evolving needs
• adapting the repository software to keep pace with emerging technology developments
• increasing the number of resources in the repository
• continuing to market the repository and train users on the system

Because repositories are relatively new phenomena, we are presenting information in this section as a series of case studies, sharing ideas and strategies from various repositories that are proving successful thus far.

Links:
Sustainability and Revenue Models for Online Academic Resources: An Ithaka Report — http://www.ithaka.org/ithaka-s-r/strategy/ithaka-case-studies-in-sustainability/report/SCA_Ithaka_SustainingDigitalResources_Report.pdf [PDF]