A nine dimensional framework for digital cultural heritage organizational sustainability. A content analysis of the LIS literature (2000–2015)

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-11-2017-0318
Published date08 April 2019
Pages182-196
Date08 April 2019
AuthorKristin R. Eschenfelder,Kalpana Shankar,Rachel D. Williams,Dorothea Salo,Mei Zhang,Allison Langham
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Bibliometrics,Databases,Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet,Records management & preservation,Document management
A nine dimensional framework
for digital cultural heritage
organizational sustainability
A content analysis of the LIS literature
(20002015)
Kristin R. Eschenfelder
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Kalpana Shankar
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Rachel D. Williams
Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and
Dorothea Salo, Mei Zhang and Allison Langham
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on how library and information science (LIS) as a field
operationalizes the concept of organizational sustainability for managing digital resources, projects and
infrastructures such as digital libraries and repositories over time. It introduces a nine dimensional
framework for organizational sustainability in the digital cultural heritage community.
Design/methodology/approach Content analysis of publications from three LIS databases (20002015).
Findings Comparing the articles to the nine dimension framework shows that most LIS articles discuss
technology, financial or management dimensions. Fewer articles describe disaster planning, assessment or
policy dimensions.
Research limitations/implications Three LIS databases might not include all relevant journals,
conferences, white papers and other materials. The data set also did not include books; library management
textbooks might include useful material on organizational sustainability. Claims about the prevalence of
themes are subject to methodological limits of content analysis.
Practical implications Organizations that steward digital collections need to be clear about what they
mean when they are referring to organizational sustainability so that they can make appropriate decisions for
future-proofing their collections. The analysis would also suggest for a greater need to consider the full range
of dimensions of organizational sustainability.
Originality/value By introducing a new nine dimensional framework of organizational sustainability the
authors hope to promote more and better conversations within the LIS community about organizational
sustainability. The authors hope these conversations will lead to productive action and improvements in the
arrangements of people and work necessary to keep digital projects and services going over time, given
ongoing challenges.
Keywords Sustainability, Content analysis, Data and digital repositories, Digital longevity
Paper type Research paper
Online Information Review
Vol. 43 No. 2, 2019
pp. 182-196
Emerald Publishing Limited
1468-4527
DOI 10.1108/OIR-11-2017-0318
Received 7 November 2017
Revised 4 March 2018
Accepted 3 April 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/1468-4527.htm
© Kristin R. Eschenfelder, Kalpana Shankar, Rachel D. Williams, Dorothea Salo, Mei Zhang and
Allison Langham. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and
create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to
full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at
http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation,
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and the University of Wisconsin-Madision School of Library
and Information Science Sarah M. Pritchard Faculty Support Fund. The authors also wish to thank the
anonymous reviewers for their suggestions.
182
OIR
43,2

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