The Standing Committee and/or a group of subject matter experts from SPAN libraries, working with the SPAN Coordinator, identifies materials for inclusion in the archive. They provide title lists to all SPAN libraries, who then confirm whether they hold the materials. The SPAN Coordinator assigns titles for retention by specific libraries; these are then called the Archive Holders for the materials. In some instances, libraries transfer materials to a designated Archive Holder, in order to complete the Holder’s set of materials.

Only Archive Holders are required to retain materials. Other libraries that hold the materials can choose to retain or withdraw them as they wish.