In information and archival communities, a designated community is an identified group of potential consumers who should be able to understand a particular set of information. These consumers may consist of multiple communities, are designated by the archive, and may change over time. Organizations determine their Designated Communities and establish standards and guidelines that create a mutually beneficial relationship. Designated Communities can be defined by their occupation, status, or geographic location. Designated Community is a term closely aligned with the concept of Open Archival Information System. Each one gives the other a centralpurpose. The OAIS is a repository of information specified for its designated community. The designated community is the reason the OAIS maintains the information it collects. Designated Communities can change, grow, or shrink over time, depending on the purpose of the information being preserved. Sometimes, designated communities can start as one subset and evolve into a wholly different subset depending on how the information that was originally assigned is being used, or misused.
Example of a Designated Community
Canada’s York University has a very specificdefinition for its Digital Preservation Designated Community. They categorize their Designated Communities in terms of “primary” and “secondary” communities. This demonstrates their prioritization of the intent behind what is digitally preserved. With a primary community made up of the university’s faculty, students, staff, and researchers, York University situates that community’s digital preservation needs above anyone else.
Evolution of a Designated Community
was created in 2005 as part of an online comic. As meme culture took hold, Pepe the Frog became an established meme, often shared online by celebrities. As its population grew, the designated community morphed from fans of the author and comic to include members of the alt-right and Donald Trump supporters.
