Google Print and the principle of functionality

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this Editorial is to outline the economic factors involved in digitisation and the maintenance of digital collections.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper assesses the cost‐effectiveness of digitisation.

Findings

Google Print's assumption that whatever has been published is worth digitising is a massively false and uneconomic assumption.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the crunch point for arguments regarding digital preservation – determine costs according to the usefulness of the artefact and be ruthless about dropping items which do not meet “baseline measures of functionality”.

Citation

Gorman, G.E. (2007), "Google Print and the principle of functionality", Online Information Review, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 113-115. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520710747176