Accessing Software: Emulation in Information Institutions
This article presents a study of preservationists implementing emulation workflows in three information institutions that collect and provide access to software: an academic research library, a university technology lab and archive, and a museum of technology. Drawing on participant observation and interviews (N = 25), I present a theory of emulation for preservation based on visions of accessing software, building a vocabulary to represent the temporality and durability of software as both an object and experience. The findings reveal issues preservationists now face in representing multiple temporalities when emulating software and software-dependent resources. These findings contribute to social studies of information institutions where emulation workflows are being planned and implemented as part of providing access to evidence and knowledge. The article also contributes to the study of the invisible technicians and information professionals who maintain computational infrastructure for longterm digital preservation.