Mittuniversitetet

The aim of this study has been to investigate the process of digitalization in the private archive sector in Sweden through a case study. The study has investigated a regional archival institution in the private sector that preserves records from associations and businesses. The study has applied the Records continuum-model and a theory of digital innovation strategy to analyze the results of the study. The methods applied for data collection have been document studies and an interview. Results have revealed that there is substantial accessibility of digital records through the archival institutions’ website, and to a lesser degree through social media channels. By consistently making digital records available and easily accessible, the institution strives to engage with the surrounding community and advertise itself. The archival institution also uses digital records to relate to ongoing events as a means of engagement. The amount of digital-born records that the institution receives remains relatively low compared to analog records and most digital records are created through digitization. To a certain extent the institution publishes digital records as a result of improvisation in the work, which also shows that the process of digitalization proceeds in a non-linear way. The process of digitalization is being expanded with future projects that will simplify for users to remotely access digital records directly or locate their existence in the archive.