Analysis of digital preservation policies for electronic journals: an exploratory study in SciELO and Elsevier program policies

Abstract

Introduction: The issue of digital preservation [DP] has several development fronts: from policies to techniques, a large set of critical points is encountered and, therefore, professionals interested in the maintenance of the information under their responsibility should understand and engage with policy development. Objective: To analyze the DP policies of SciELO and Elsevier Program publishers in order to help discuss a PD policy for scientific journals. Methodology: This is a qualitative, descriptive research that used the comparative method through the document analysis technique. The corpus and object of study of this research was based on the DP policies of the SciELO and Elsevier Programs, called the DP Policy of the SciELO Program and Policies Digital Archive. The analysis was carried out based on the DP principles and strategies. Results: It can be seen that the SciELO and Elsevier DP policies have similarities in terms of their principles and strategies, and that these policies can contribute to the discussion of model DRP policies for journals. Conclusion: Therefore, for preservation to occur effectively, it is important to study and consolidate, in a specific and detailed way, the DP policy of the institution to which the journal is linked, should dialogue with this policy and DP plan of the journal.  One should, however, plan the design of this DP policy that will somehow give support in the construction of an institutionalized document to support all types of documentary and bibliographic support of an institution, as in the case of scientific journals.