No One Left Behind: Digital POWRR Project Promotes Preservation of Digital Materials in Smaller Organizations

Abstract

The Digital POWRR Project at Northern Illinois University Libraries addresses a problem
that has largely gone unrecognized in the field. Research shows that digital objects are
considerably more subject to loss than paper resources. Large amounts of digital content
remain at a high risk of loss, especially in the collections of the smallest organizations with
the fewest financial resources. These organizations often contain materials documenting
the history and culture of historically marginalized populations but frequently lack the
ability to secure them for future use. Most cannot afford to purchase and operate integrated
digital preservation products and services available from commercial vendors