Global trends in digital preservation: Outsourcing versus in-house practices

Abstract

Digital preservation encompasses policies, technologies, and strategies to ensure that digital objects and collections will sustain for future use. This study aimed at investigating the trends toward digital preservation in terms of in-house activities versus outsourcing by systematically reviewing the extant literature. The relevant studies were identified by accessing multiple databases and indexing and abstracting services. After retrieving the relevant literature, necessary filtering was done by following the PRISMA protocols, and thereafter the selected studies were finalized for further review. The meta-analysis of the final studies affirms a strong global preference of libraries, archives, and other cultural and memory organizations toward in-house activities for the preservation of their digital objects and collections compared to outsourcing digital preservation activities by third parties. The results of this study provide a holistic view of how digital assets are being preserved in memory institutions across the world and underpin the global management (in-house or outsourced) approaches for digital preservation.