Personal Digital Archiving in Public Libraries: A Critical Realist Approach

Abstract

The purpose of this research is two-fold: to challenge the assumption that personal digital archiving only occurs when individuals use personally owned devices and to fill a gap in current personal digital archiving research by including public library users who use public access computers. Very little current research exists using qualitative approaches to studying public libraries and almost no research studies examine how the environment of the public library shapes internet access or personal digital archiving.

The research contributes to theory through the introduction of the concept of migratory archiving. I will define and provide suggestions to resolve the privacy paradox in libraries. Another theoretical contribution of this dissertation is the application of critical realist theory to public libraries and the extension of the Transformational Model of Social Activity (TMSA) as envisioned by Bhaskar (1978, 1979, 1986, 1993, 2010) to include objects, specifically public access computers.

Through investigation of two case study locations in New York State, the research describes the current status of Internet Use and Acceptable Use Policies across the state and the status of personal digital archiving by public access computer users in libraries. This dissertation also defines and analyzes structures—including library policies and procedures—shaping technology access and personal digital archiving in public libraries.