ALA-MW Presentation January 23, 2006 Preserving Access for the Future, Updates on Various Activities in Digital Preservation

Overview What is happening in Archival Community What is happening in Archival Community Why are organizations digitizing Why are organizations digitizing How does technology affect us How does technology affect us So, you want to digitize So, you want to digitize Digital file types Digital file types What must you consider What must you consider Conclusion Conclusion

What is happening in the archival community New technology will affect what you are doing New technology will affect what you are doing –Preserve existing content Remaster and/or digitize Remaster and/or digitize –Born digital content What to do with this? What to do with this? –High-definition How will this affect you? How will this affect you?

Why are organizations digitizing Library of Congress two-fold strategy Library of Congress two-fold strategy –Digitize for access –Digitize when it is best solution Digitizing for Preservation Digitizing for Preservation –Less common than for access –Still quite expensive, both to create and store

How does technology affect us The Good The Good –Cost of digitizing is falling –Equipment less expensive, faster –Services less expensive –Storage costs are dropping –New codecs enable digitizing for preservation The Bad The Bad –Technology is changing all the time –Not a once and done proposition –No perfect storage medium yet

So, you want to digitize Plan, Plan, Plan Plan, Plan, Plan –Don’t digitize just to digitize –What if you don’t have expertise –Preserving/digitizing moving images is unique After planning, next most important step is stabilizing original After planning, next most important step is stabilizing original

Digital File Types Preservation File Characteristics Preservation File Characteristics –Lossless (ideal) –Non-proprietary (not owned by one entity) –Standard –Examples include JPG 2000, MPEG 2 “I” frame only, 2k-4k film scans –Files tend to be very large Use File Characteristics Use File Characteristics –High Quality, but Efficient Compression –Non-Proprietary –Standard –Examples include MPEG 2, possibly WMV at higher quality –Files are large, but not as large as preservation files

Digital File Types cont. Access File Characteristics Access File Characteristics –Small file size –Typically lower resolution –Able to be streamed –Cross-platform –Examples include WMV, QT and RM File Sizes File Sizes –Preservation, GB per hour –Use, 2-8 GB per hour –Access, MB per hour

What must you consider when digitizing Initial costs to digitize Initial costs to digitize –How much and what formats do I have –What condition are they in –How will it be used in future –Work done in-house or subcontracted –What happens to the original On-going costs to maintain On-going costs to maintain –Storage –Reformatting (not once and done) Participation of all groups within your organization Participation of all groups within your organization –Management –Marketing –Information Technology

Questions Contact: John Walko Scene Savers / Contact: John Walko Scene Savers /