Task force takes on digital preservation

A blue ribbon task force addressing the issue of ‘Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access’ has been formed. Launched by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Task Force is co-chaired by Fran Berman, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at University of California; and Brian Lavoie, a research scientist and economist with the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC).

The Task Force’s two-year mission is to develop a viable economic sustainability strategy to ensure that today's data will be available for further use, analysis and study. Members will convene a broad set of international experts from the academic, public and private sectors who will participate in quarterly discussion panels. The group will then publish two substantial reports with their findings, including a final report in late 2009 that will include a set of actionable recommendations for digital preservation, taking into account a general economic framework to establish those objectives.