In the Collection stage, we suggested considering the longer-term purpose of your story collection once it had been developed. At the Curation stage, it is also important to be thinking about whether future-proofing your curated collection is important and how this will be achieved. This can help to ensure that your story collection has a sustainable future and value beyond any intended short-term output.
Is the storage reliable? And what is its lifespan?
There are many places that you can choose to store a story collection. This may include your own personal computer, on a shared network, external hard drive or public database. Each is likely to have a lifespan, and it is important to consider whether the place that you are choosing to store your story collection is appropriate for how you intend the collection to be used in the future. For instance, a story collection only stored on a personal computer is vulnerable to loss and the lifespan of the computer. A public database may be more reliable and accessible but is dependent on how it is managed may also be vulnerable to external funding requirements or personnel changes.
In the resources listed, we provide some specific guidance on digital sustainability. However, regardless of your intended output we suggest considering these questions.
Questions to answer
- How long do you want your story collection to be available and accessible?
- Is your current plan for storage reliable? What are the potential problems?