Systematic literature review of digital curation services in academic libraries (2001–2023): A global perspective

Abstract

Digital curation is a relatively new area that has sparked a lot of interest in recent years. This new field requires a wide range of resources to develop technological infrastructure and to train library staff to overcome challenges regarding digital curation services. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a better and more in-depth understanding of digital curation in academic libraries. This research followed a systematic literature review (SLR) protocol to properly organise the work related to digital curation and included publications from five world-renowned databases (Scopus; Web of Science; Science Direct; Library and Information Science Abstracts; and Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts). The libraries used digital curation services (DCS) for the preservation and access of digital information to develop institutional repositories, digital libraries, research data management and digital reference services. This study identified various aspects of DCS in academic libraries, including required skills and competence, policies, techniques, and strategies, education and training, metadata standards, and technological infrastructure. To adopt DCS, libraries faced several challenges, such as the absence of policy, a lack of skilled staff, a shortage of financial resources and inadequate technological infrastructure. Various challenges identified as well as the critical adoption factors would provide valuable insights to library professionals for the adoption of DCS in academic libraries.