Only a few extensive web archiving projects have been conducted in the Swedish cultural heritage sector with the goal of preserving digital cultural heritage and advancing research. This thesis aims to acquire knowledge on how such projects can be executed by analyzing three different projects of that kind. By conducting four qualitative interviews with project representatives, this thesis investigates the methods used to collect and make digital cultural heritage accessible. The benefits and drawbacks of different approaches and solutions are discussed, drawing on the archival paradigm and post-custodial theory. Furthermore, the thesis addresses the most significant challenges in the cultural heritage sector for digital preservation, including technical obstacles, limited resources, insufficient expertise, and stakeholder engagement. By showcasing experiences from web archiving projects, this thesis aspires to enhance the field and offer valuable insights into the effective preservation of digital cultural heritage.

This master thesis has examined a user’s capabilities to utilize the Swedish national web archive Kulturarw³ for research purposes. The aim was also to identify any potential areas of improvement in the user’s capabilities working with Kulturarw³. The research questions are: 1. How does Kulturarw³ operate? 2. What are the main factors which affect Kulturarw³ structure and function? 3. What capabilities exist for researchers and students to utilize Kulturarw³ for their research? Are there any potential areas of improvement to the web archives user capabilities? The author has analyzed the web archive altogether using institutional theory in organization studies. The analysis has been loosely structured after Staffan Furusten’s model of the outside world in using institutional theory in organization studies. The purpose of this is to explain why the web archive looks the way it does today. An understanding of the web archive will better illuminate why any potential areas of improvement identified may or may not be possible for KW3 to implement. The author has conducted email interviews, in-person interviews as well as digital interviews with the staff responsible for working with Kulturarw³ at the Swedish National Library, Kungliga biblioteket. A draft of guidelines concerning Kulturarw³ from Kungliga biblioteket and a video-interview at Internetmuseum with one of the the founders of the web archive has also been used as source-material for this master thesis. The author concluded that Kulturarw³ is a national web archive with a long history. Its functions and limitations are complex. Kulturarw³s operation has changed greatly throughout its lifetime because of the surrounding environment. Several main factors which affect Kulturarw³ were identified. Several Swedish laws, international charters and initiatives, collaborations between and relations to other web archives, use of open-source software and digitalization’s impact on Kulturarw³ is discussed in detail. Kulturarw³'s long history of archiving the Swedish web makes it a valuable and plentiful source for research. Its collections and functions should be sufficient for anyone to conduct qualitative research. Yet at the current moment, the web archive is too inaccessible to live up to user’s expectations. That makes it an unviable option for research purposes. Unfortunately, there is not a lot Kulturarw³ can currently change to make it more assessable. The lack of information readily available also hinders users from using the web archive at max efficiency. There is a lot of opportunities for KB to better inform its users of its value and capabilities. An increased collaboration with Swedish research institutions would also benefit both researchers and the web archive in the long run.