Abstract
Purpose - The terms "digital curation" and "cyberinfrastructure" have been coined in the last decade to describe distinct but related concepts of how data can be managed, preserved, manipulated and made available for long-term use. Each term has important attributes that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the digital knowledge universe. By considering the origins of both terms and the communities that have been engaged with each of them, we can trace the development of the present digital environment in the United States and consider what this may mean for the future.Design/methodology/approach - Review of the last decade and a half of the digital knowledge universe, including funding, significant reports and other publications, and assessment of how these have influenced the present digital environment.Findings - Better integration of the concepts embodied in digital curation and cyberinfrastructure will contribute to a fuller understanding of the complexity of the knowledge universe and its preservation for future reuse.Originality/value - This work is original, with appropriate citations to other sources of information
Purpose - The terms "digital curation" and "cyberinfrastructure" have been coined in the last decade to describe distinct but related concepts of how data can be managed, preserved, manipulated and made available for long-term use. Each term has important attributes that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the digital knowledge universe. By considering the origins of both terms and the communities that have been engaged with each of them, we can trace the development of the present digital environment in the United States and consider what this may mean for the future.Design/methodology/approach - Review of the last decade and a half of the digital knowledge universe, including funding, significant reports and other publications, and assessment of how these have influenced the present digital environment.Findings - Better integration of the concepts embodied in digital curation and cyberinfrastructure will contribute to a fuller understanding of the complexity of the knowledge universe and its preservation for future reuse.Originality/value - This work is original, with appropriate citations to other sources of information