Stakeholders in the selection of digital material for preservation: relationships, responsibilities, and influence

Selecting digital material for preservation in libraries, archives, and museums is a necessary task but has not been widely examined, although the nature of digital material challenges traditional methods of selecting. This article examines the social context of selection in institutions, in which the responsibilities of stakeholders and relationships between them can affect the material chosen for preservation by practitioners. A range of stakeholders is identified; relationships between practitioners, information technology staff, and sources of material are found to be crucial. The influence of senior managers is important in providing a mandate and encouraging shared working and networks of expertise.