The license holder has indefinite access to a specific version of a software program by paying for it only once.
This essentially points to the issue that “for libraries, this means that legal ownership of individual titles, the storage unit (often a piece of hardware or software), and the ability to maintain files for future use are tied to the content provider-often a publisher or software developer.”[6] Perpetual access is closely related to digital archiving, which is the preservation of electronic documents.
[8] Often, if an institution is to retain perpetual access, it must design a way in which to preserve the electronic documents that are granted by the license.
[11] Link rot, negligence or denial of domain renewal, or closing of information source are some examples of technical issues that directly effect the ability to maintain perpetual access.
Issues like these for both perpetual access and with digital preservation have garnered some more recent attention through single discipline efforts or government level.
One example is the Keepers Registry, which equips libraries with resources to help them navigate perpetual access and digital preservation topics as a whole.
[12] Despite the cost effectiveness of utilizing electronic material in place of print, the cost of maintaining that electronic material is a hindrance on the other end of the spectrum for a library's ability to opt for and maintain perpetual access, both in terms of time and staffing limitations.