What role does community engagement play in digital archiving?

Community engagement plays a crucial role in digital archiving as it facilitates a deeper understanding of user needs. By actively involving the community, digital archivists can gather valuable input regarding what types of materials users are interested in, how they prefer to access and interact with these materials, and what gaps exist in the current collections. This engagement ensures that archival practices are aligned with the interests and requirements of the community, ultimately enhancing the relevance and usability of the digital archives.

While compliance with legal regulations, cost reduction, and format considerations are important factors in digital archiving, they do not directly address the critical aspect of understanding user needs. Community engagement is primarily about building relationships and gathering insights, making it an essential component for developing effective and user-centered digital archiving practices.