Var god dröj : En kvalitativ studie av hur offentliga arkivinstitutioner arbetar med externa arkivdepåer för pappersarkiv

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to examine the use of off-site storage in the archival sector and how it impacts the public institutions’ work towards making the archives accessible for their users. Despite the ever-present technological advances and presumed digital future of archives the dependence on analogue records is still strong, leading to a recurring problem regarding lack of space in the archival depositories. To solve the problem archival institutions often turn to off-site storage solutions, where the terms and conditions vary, and often demands creative solutions to everyday archival problems. To answer the purpose of this study two types of off-site storage have been examined, where in one the archives use a staffed location and one where they use an unmanned location. By conducting interviews with archivists employed in organizations using these solutions the study aims to answer questions about 1) the challenges faced, 2) the solutions to said challenges, and 3) if there are any similarities or differences between the two aforementioned types of off-site storage. Employing the archival reference knowledge model developed by Duff, Yakel and Tibbo as a theoretical framework the study takes special aim at what abilities the archivists need and use to face the challenges presented by using off-site storage and to satisfy the needs of their users. The results conclude that although the main consequences of using off-site storage are loss of efficiency and time delays due to separated archives and unsatisfactory resources the archivists manage to keep their service levels moderate. They use the same tactics for acquiring collection knowledge in all aspects of the organization, and otherwise use each other’s’ knowledge to bridge the gaps. They make do with the given resources while balancing political and organizational objectives and juridical demands. This is a two years master’s thesis in Archival Science.