ALA-MW PresentationALA-MW PresentationJanuary 23, 2006January 23, 2006

Preserving Access for the Future, Preserving Access for the Future, Updates on Various Activities in Updates on Various Activities in Digital PreservationDigital Preservation

OverviewOverview

What is happening in Archival What is happening in Archival CommunityCommunity

Why are organizations digitizingWhy are organizations digitizing How does technology affect usHow does technology affect us So, you want to digitizeSo, you want to digitize Digital file typesDigital file types What must you considerWhat must you consider ConclusionConclusion

What is What is happeninghappening in the in the archival communityarchival community New technology will affect what New technology will affect what

you are doingyou are doing– Preserve existing contentPreserve existing content

Remaster and/or digitizeRemaster and/or digitize

– Born digital contentBorn digital content What to do with this?What to do with this?

– High-definitionHigh-definition How will this affect you?How will this affect you?

Why are organizations Why are organizations digitizingdigitizing

Library of Congress two-fold Library of Congress two-fold strategystrategy– Digitize for accessDigitize for access– Digitize when it is best solutionDigitize when it is best solution

Digitizing for PreservationDigitizing for Preservation– Less common than for accessLess common than for access– Still quite expensive, both to create Still quite expensive, both to create

and storeand store

How does technology affect How does technology affect usus The GoodThe Good

– Cost of digitizing is fallingCost of digitizing is falling– Equipment less expensive, fasterEquipment less expensive, faster– Services less expensiveServices less expensive– Storage costs are droppingStorage costs are dropping– New codecs enable digitizing for preservationNew codecs enable digitizing for preservation

The BadThe Bad– Technology is changing all the timeTechnology is changing all the time– Not a once and done propositionNot a once and done proposition– No perfect storage medium yetNo perfect storage medium yet

So, you want to digitizeSo, you want to digitize

Plan, Plan, PlanPlan, Plan, Plan– Don’t digitize just to digitizeDon’t digitize just to digitize– What if you don’t have expertiseWhat if you don’t have expertise– Preserving/digitizing moving images is Preserving/digitizing moving images is

uniqueunique After planning, next most important After planning, next most important

step is stabilizing originalstep is stabilizing original

Digital File TypesDigital File Types

Preservation File CharacteristicsPreservation File Characteristics– Lossless (ideal)Lossless (ideal)– Non-proprietary (not owned by one entity)Non-proprietary (not owned by one entity)– StandardStandard– Examples include JPG 2000, MPEG 2 “I” frame only, Examples include JPG 2000, MPEG 2 “I” frame only,

2k-4k film scans2k-4k film scans– Files tend to be very largeFiles tend to be very large

Use File CharacteristicsUse File Characteristics– High Quality, but Efficient CompressionHigh Quality, but Efficient Compression– Non-ProprietaryNon-Proprietary– StandardStandard– Examples include MPEG 2, possibly WMV at higher Examples include MPEG 2, possibly WMV at higher

qualityquality– Files are large, but not as large as preservation filesFiles are large, but not as large as preservation files

Digital File TypesDigital File Types cont.cont.

Access File CharacteristicsAccess File Characteristics– Small file sizeSmall file size– Typically lower resolutionTypically lower resolution– Able to be streamedAble to be streamed– Cross-platformCross-platform– Examples include WMV, QT and RMExamples include WMV, QT and RM

File SizesFile Sizes– Preservation, 30-90 GB per hourPreservation, 30-90 GB per hour– Use, 2-8 GB per hourUse, 2-8 GB per hour– Access, 150-400 MB per hourAccess, 150-400 MB per hour

What must you consider What must you consider when digitizingwhen digitizing Initial costs to digitizeInitial costs to digitize

– How much and what formats do I haveHow much and what formats do I have– What condition are they inWhat condition are they in– How will it be used in futureHow will it be used in future– Work done in-house or subcontractedWork done in-house or subcontracted– What happens to the originalWhat happens to the original

On-going costs to maintainOn-going costs to maintain– StorageStorage– Reformatting (not once and done)Reformatting (not once and done)

Participation of all groups within your organizationParticipation of all groups within your organization– ManagementManagement– MarketingMarketing– Information TechnologyInformation Technology

QuestionsQuestions

Contact:Contact:John WalkoJohn WalkoScene SaversScene Saversjwalko@scenesavers.comjwalko@scenesavers.com800-978-3445 /513-621-6677800-978-3445 /513-621-6677