In July 2009, former Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough spoke to a group at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. about the Smithsonian’s commitment to a digital future for its museums, libraries, and archives. "Ultimately, we want to put all of our ... objects ... online so you can access them wherever you live. We want to offer the Smithsonian experience to everyone," said Clough.
As digitization work progressed, attention turned to the tasks needed to ensure the longevity of these born-digital and digitized collections, research, and resources for decades to come. In 2014, Secretary Clough chartered a Digital Preservation Working Group to assess current preservation practices and develop lifecycle management recommendations for the future. Learn More about the Digital Preservation Working Group.