Digital Curation and its Costs: A Study of Practices and Insights

Introduction - Regarding the concerns that prompted the emergence of digital curation, this study takes as an example the context of the production of large volumes of scientific information, which requires approaches that ensure its maintenance, reuse and valorization, considering its cost. Objectives - It is intended to discuss the relevant issues regarding the costs of digital curation and to develop a framework model proposal for the analysis of costs in digital curation, including projects of a more practical nature. This means addressing the concept definition and the issue of costs, based on studies related to cost models. Methodology - A literature review was carried out, contextualizing the issue of costs within digital curation, with data collected from Biblioteca do Conhecimento Online – B-On (Online Knowledge Library) and Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal – RCAAP (Scientific Open Access Repository of Portugal) as research literature sources. Then, a framework model scheme was developed based on the categories identified using the Constant Comparative Method, some related to the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) Reference Model and to the Digital Curation Centre (DCC) Life Cycle. This allowed the development of a content analysis of the perceptions collected from different authors, resulting in memos, of which this text is a summary. Results / Conclusion - It is proposed a systematization of digital curation issues, which constitutes a framework model considered relevant for the analysis of costs in digital curation, including practical projects, which interconnects the DCC Life Cycle view of the digital object curation to the OAIS Reference Model approach, in a transversal logic seized by the cost models and plan/data management policies. It is concluded that a paradigm shift is occurring from a black-box perspective to another one that identifies costs and attempts to standardise predictive models for institutional use with the aim of promoting transparency, accountability, and capturing the interest of potential funding providers.