Data Curation Preservation Issues (Threats To Digital Materials)

 


Digital preservation involves the active management of digital objects throughout their lifecycle to ensure continued usability and authenticity. In the digital age, institutions and researchers increasingly rely on digital materials to support knowledge creation, preservation and dissemination. From research datasets and institutional records to digital archives, these materials expand access to scholarly resources, enhance teaching and research and promote collaboration across institutions (Aregbesola & Nwaolise, 2023).  However, digital materials face numerous threats that can compromise their survival and accessibility over time.

One of the biggest threats to digital materials is technological obsolescence. File formats, software, and hardware can quickly become outdated, making preserved materials inaccessible without migration strategies (Pasqui, 2024). Pasqui (2024) notes that digital preservation requires “continuous adaptation due to the constant evolution of the publishing industry,” underscoring that format obsolescence is not a one-time problem but a perpetual challenge demanding sustained institutional effort.

Another critical issue is media degradation and data corruption. Digital materials are vulnerable to invisible deterioration processes such as bit rot where data gradually become corrupted over time. Storage media including hard drives, optical disks and magnetic tapes can degrade physically leading to partial or complete data loss (Shah et al., 2021)

Organizational instability also poses an equally significant risk. According to Pasqui (2024), many institutions lack adequate funding, infrastructure, and skilled personnel to implement robust preservation systems, leading to gaps in long-term stewardship. Effective preservation requires clear institutional policies, but many organizations operate without comprehensive frameworks, leaving digital assets vulnerable.

Perhaps the most overlooked threat is the curation knowledge and skills gap. Zareef and Jabeen (2025), in a systematic review of digital curation services across academic libraries globally found that institutions consistently struggle with “a lack of skilled staff, a shortage of financial resources and inadequate technological infrastructure.” Without trained professionals, who understand both the technical and contextual dimensions of digital collections, even well preserved files lose scholarly value. This challenge is particularly acute in developing countries where digital curation policies are often absent entirely (Zareef & Jabeen, 2025).

Additionally, cybersecurity threats and disasters present growing concerns. Digital collections may be affected by data breaches, malware, phishing, unauthorized access, cyberattacks or accidental deletion (Aregbesola & Nwaolise, 2023). Natural disasters such as floods, fires and earthquakes can also destroy digital infrastructure if adequate backup and recovery mechanisms are not in place. These threats highlight the importance of redundancy, distributed storage and disaster recovery planning in digital preservation programs (Almaiah et al., 2024).

In conclusion, the preservation of digital materials is a fundamental component of data curation. Technological obsolescence, media degradation, organizational limitations and security risks threaten the longevity of digital resources. Effective digital curation practices are therefore essential for safeguarding valuable information and ensuring that digital knowledge remains accessible for future generations.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xx1Ysd6DsA  

References

Almaiah, M. A., Saqr, L. M., Al-rawwash, L. A., Altellawi, L. A., Al-ali, R., & Almomani, O. (2024). Classification of Cybersecurity Threats , Vulnerabilities and Countermeasures in Database Systems. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2024.057673

Aregbesola, A., & Nwaolise, E. L. (2023). DigitalCommons @ University of Nebraska - Lincoln Securing Digital Collections : Cyber Security Best Practices for Academic Libraries in Developing Countries Securing Digital Collections : Cyber Security Best Practices for Academic Libraries in Developing Countries.

Pasqui, V. (2024). Digital curation and long-term digital preservation in libraries. JLIS.It, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.36253/jlis.it-567

Shah, U. A., Hussain, M., Saddiqa, M., & Yar, M. S. (2021). Problems and Challenges in the Preservation of Digital Contents : An Analytical Study. Library Philosophy and Practice. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/5628

Zareef, M., & Jabeen, M. (2025). Systematic literature review of digital curation services in academic libraries ( 2001 – 2023 ): A global perspective. Journal of Information Science, 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/01655515241305348

 

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