Contents:
- Foreword
- 1. Introduction and background
- 2. Methodology
- 3. Sustainability beyond the numbers
- 4. Key factors for sustainability
- 5. Conclusion and looking ahead
- Appendix A: Methodology
- Appendix B: Case study abstracts
- Appendix C: How to read the financial data in the case studies
- Acknowledgements.
This ‘Ithaka Case Studies in Sustainability’ report offers a composite profile of ‘sustainability’ factors resulting from a study of 12 academic and cultural content digital initiatives. Focusing on sustainability, defined in the report as “the ability to generate or gain access to the resources – financial or otherwise – needed to protect and increase the value of the content or service for those who use it”, the 12 case studies represent a variety of revenue and access models. The authors conclude by identifying five, core critical factors needed to ensure sustainability. INA (l’Institut national de l’audiovisuel) is one of the 12 cases.
This report, intended primarily for management and policy making staff, makes a good argument for two things: the primacy of understanding user needs and the need for organizations to encourage growth and change over time in response to those needs. Although only one of the 12 case studies is an audiovisual archive, its conclusions are relevant in the audiovisual archive context. The INA case study provides insight into its particular approach and decision making process. The resource site allows the reader to download just the report, the entire report with all case studies or simply the individual case studies.