Comments on: Session Proposal: After the End: How Libraries can Support the Continuity and Preservation of Digital Humanities Projects

By: Amanda Rust

Amanda Rust — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:29:08 +0000

Ithaka S+R just released a great Sustainability Health Check Tool for this kind of question. The tool (and larger report that goes with it) implies the kind of hand off that Frank describes, I think: once a project goes into maintenance mode, the library may have greater / different kind of responsibility.

By: Frank Skornia

Frank Skornia — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:26:21 +0000

When I was working at a nonprofit, I helped write several grant applications for archival and oral history projects, and one of the main points looked for in the grant applications was how the project would be sustained or maintained after the grant project period ended. I believe that libraries can be important collaborative partners in this aspect, if they have taken the time and effort to build the infrastructure so that when a project ends they can take up stewardship for it. Partnerships like that can help strengthen a grant application, as well as strengthen ties for the library with the rest of the community.

Additionally, what you talk about Christime reminds me of what I see a lot from video game developers. They’ll create a game, release it, and then move on to their next project. The released game then tends to move to a different team that becomes responsible for maintaining the code through support and patches, as well as possibly preparing updates or expansions.

By: Christine Connors

Christine Connors — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:13:51 +0000

In the enterprise we often have operations teams to which projects are handed off. No, not as fun, but just as critical! These teams keep the quality high, but also got to make updates when appropriate. Perhaps some of those practices may be of use.