Lagringstanken

Lagringstanken is a term used in Swedish-language discussions of information governance and archival science to describe the strategic idea of long-term storage of information. It encompasses policies, infrastructure, and practices designed to preserve digital and physical records beyond their immediate use, ensuring accessibility and integrity over time. The word combines lagring (storage) with tanken (the idea), and it is employed in contexts ranging from national archives and libraries to government IT management and corporate records programs.

Core aims of lagringstanken include maintaining data and document integrity, ensuring reader accessibility across generations, complying with legal and regulatory requirements, enabling future data reuse, and mitigating risks from technological obsolescence and data loss.

Practices associated with the concept include the use of stable metadata, open and standardized file formats, periodic data migration, redundant storage architectures, off-site and geographic dispersion, and formal preservation policies. Many implementations reference the OAIS (Open Archival Information System) model or similar archival standards to structure archival information and activities.

Challenges include the cost of storage, the need for ongoing technology refresh, privacy and security considerations, and the organizational effort required to govern long-term preservation across departments and stakeholders.

Related concepts include digital preservation, data governance, and archival science. The term is most commonly encountered in Swedish-language discussions of public sector records management and library/archive practice.