TOPIC SUMMARY : DATA CURATION PRESERVATION ISSUES (ORGANISATIONAL ISSUES)

Data curation and preservation are important activities in modern information management because they contributes to the long-term accessibility, dependability and usability of digital data. To save priceless information resources, knowledge institutions now depend on digital preservation techniques. However, with the ongoing advancements in technology, many organisations often struggle to adequately preserve digital data due to the following organisational issues: Absence of explicit policies and governance frameworks for digital preservation This is where organisations lack well-crafted preservation policies that specify roles, guidelines and practices for handling digital resources. Yakel (2007) noted that inadequate departmental coordination and consistent preservation methods are frequently caused by lack of appropriate institutional policies. Digital resources are vulnerable to loss, degradation or eventual inaccessibility in the absence of appropriate governance frameworks. Inadequate coordination and cooperation between parties This also impede the success of preservation efforts whereby information professionals are involved in digital preservation and sharing of knowledge, infrastructures and preservation expenses through collaboration. In many cases among these groups suffers inefficiencies in the administration of digital resources due to lack of cooperation and communication. According to Higgins (2008), collaborative frameworks are crucial because they enable organisations to more efficiently share preservation obligations. Funding and allocation of resources Poor resource distribution and insufficient finance present another major obstacle. Infrastructures, software, and storage systems must all continuously invested in to digital preservation. However, most organisations in underdeveloped nations, underestimate the ongoing cost of digital preservation that restrict their preservation efforts. According to Harvey (2011), the sustainability of preservation programs is impacted by inadequate funding since institutions neglect to periodically maintain or upgrade digital systems, therefore crucial digital data is lost or deteriorates as some preservation operations are postponed or abandoned. Inadequate training and lack of qualified staff This also have a detrimental impact on data curation, preservation initiatives, in the sense that professionals with expertise in field including information technology, metadata management, archival science and digital preservation techniques are needed for effective digital preservation. Unfortunately, organisations often face professional skills gaps and training opportunities are scarce to properly oversee intricate digital preservation systems. Inadequate professional training makes it more difficult for organisations to successfully apply preservation standards and best practices, Claim Corrado and Moulaison (2014). Resistance to organisational change This is another issue affecting data curation and preservation, due to old management practices, lack of awareness or a fear of technological change, many organisations are sluggish to implement digital preservation measures. Adoption and innovation of contemporary preservation systems are slowed down by this opposition .Strong institutional commitment and leadership support are critical to the success of digital preservation initiatives (Lee and Tibbo, 2007). Organisational awareness and culture Another issue is culture. According to Beagrie (2008) many organisations view curation as optional rather than as a strategic objective. Because long term sustainability depends on integrating curation into routine organisational procedures, this way of thinking undercuts preservation efforts, To sum up, organisational issues have an impact on how well data curation and preservation efforts work. Preservation of digital resources is threatened by issues like lack of policies, insufficient funding, lack of qualified staff, resistance to change, organisation culture. Organisations require effective policy frameworks, strong leadership, sustainable funding and ongoing staff training to handle these issues. Institutions should also encourage cooperation and strategic planning in order to guarantee long-term access to information resources. References Beagrie, N. (2008). Digital curation for science, digital libraries and individuals. International Journal of Digital Curation, 3(1), 3-.https://doi/10.2218ijdc.v3il.48 Corrado, E, M., & Moulaison, H. L. (2014). Digital preservation for libraries, archives and museums. Rowman & Littlefield. Harvey, R. (2011). Digital curation: a how to do it manual. Neal-Schuman Publishers. Higgins, S. (2008). The DCC curation lifecycle model. International Journal of Digital Curation, 3(3), 134-140. Lee, C. A., Tibbo, H. R. (2011). Digital curation and trusted repositories: Steps toward success, Journal of Digital Information, 12(12), 1-9. Yakel, E. (2007). Digital curation. OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives, 23(4), 335-340.

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