Appraisal and Selection of Scientific Data for the Long-Term Archive: A Case Study

A long-term archive offers the potential to provide future knowledge communities with capabilities to discover, access, and use scientific data and research-related information. Given the potential costs and commitments to preserve digital information, those responsible for long-term preservation of data can develop resources for the appraisal and selection of data being considered for accession into the long-term archive. A case study describes developments enabling the appraisal and selection of data for accession into a long-term archive including decision-maker roles and responsibilities, the process for nominating data as candidates for accession, criteria for the appraisal of candidate data, choices for levels of preservation and dissemination services to be designated for approved data, and the process to facilitate the appraisal and selection of data for accession into the long-term archive