Abstract

The LIFE Project has developed a methodology to calculate the long-term costs and future requirements of the preservation of digital assets. LIFE has achieved this by analysing and comparing three different digital collections and by applying a lifecycle approach to each. From this work LIFE has identified a number of strategic issues and common needs. The critical strategic issues are: •There is a need for a wider collaborative approach between Higher Education (HE) and Libraries to aid in the cost-effective development of tools and methods. •The time required for the realistic development of the next generation of these tools and methodologies is largely unknown and should form part of a collective responsibility within the digital preservation community. •There exists a real opportunity to establish long-term partnerships between institutions to address common requirements. The challenge is to establish multidisciplinary Project teams and programmes to lead these developments. •There exists a real opportunity to establish long-term partnerships between institutions and industry to develop this methodology and to establish new opportunities to share knowledge and experience. The LIFE project could become an important vehicle for the development of these new opportunities.