As scholars experiment with diverse technologies to present their research, publishers are supporting digital formats that go far beyond traditional text-based publications. These complex works may include embedded media, supporting materials such as software and data, interactive features, nonlinear forms of navigation, and more. However, such innovative characteristics can create challenges for the long-term sustainability of these publications. How can we ensure that this important scholarly content is preserved for future generations?

In a new article in the Journal of Electronic Publishing, Preserving Innovation: Ensuring the Future of Today’s Scholarship, Karen Hanson, Senior Research Developer for Portico, discusses some of the findings of a recent research project on this issue. A project initiated by NYU Libraries brought together preservation services and publishers concerned about the long-term survival of their most innovative publications. Their research led to a set of guidelines to make these new forms of scholarship more preservable, and a second phase of the project is focusing on embedding preservation specialists into publisher workflows to help test and implement these guidelines. In the article, Hanson describes how publishers and preservation services can work together more closely to ensure the longevity of scholarship.

Read the full article in the Journal of Electronic Publishing.