The rise of digital curation and cyberinfrastructure

Purpose The terms “digital curation” and “cyberinfrastructure” have been coined in the last decade to describe distinct but related concepts of how data can be managed, preserved, manipulated and made available for long‐term use. This paper aims to examine these. Design/methodology/approach The paper considers the origins of both terms and the communities that have been engaged with each of them, traces the development of the present digital environment in the USA and considers what this may mean for the future. Findings The paper reveals that each term has important attributes that contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the digital knowledge universe. Originality/value The paper reveals information about the development of digital preservation.