Digital viability

The purpose of this column is to explore issues regarding library self‐assessment and provisioning of digital content.

This is not a research paper per se but rather exploratory. The method used was to review the literature on the subject and supply the opinions of the author in relation to the subject.

There is substantial evidence in the literature that libraries are being called upon to substantiate their value within their parent institutions, and that digital content plays an important role in that regard.

Libraries need to be engaged in constant and recursive self‐assessment, most importantly in the area of the provisioning of digital content.

This column synthesizes the issues of library self‐assessment and the provision of digital content from several perspectives.