Definitions AIP, DIP, SIP

Archival Information Package (AIP)

The information package consisting of the Content Information (CI), Preservation Description Information (PDI), Packaging Information (PI), and Descriptive Information (DI) that is archived at McMaster University Library.
The level of content in a McMaster University Digital Archive AIP can vary, depending on the amount of content provided by the submitter.
This description will use the OAIS Information Model to illustrate completeness of our conceptual model, and will describe, in general terms, what a McMaster University Library AIP looks like.

Content Information (CI)

The Content Data Object (CDO) is generally stored with the primary preservation metadata file, which is held in Fedora Commons.
Representation Information is maintained, and contains information on the CDO's file format, version, and a reference to a format registry in order to provide information on how to interpret the file.

Preservation Description Information (PDI)

Reference Information - Identifiers are stored for each object identifying it globally (e.g. macrepo PID) and locally (e.g. URI).
Provenance Information - Provenance metadata is maintained for each object that provides a history of preservation events in the object's lifetime, beginning at ingest into the digital repositories and referencing any preservation activities taken on the object (e.g., replacement due to corruption, format migration, etc.).
Context Information - As appropriate, information on how a CDO relates to other CDOs or to other conceptual entities. Examples of these relationships can include: a newer version of an object that supersedes an older one.
Fixity Information - Fixity information is generated at the time of ingest in order to later determine whether or not the item remains in the same state as when it was ingested. This information can be used to determine integrity of an object being copied within the system (as in the case of a change in storage location), or for periodic integrity checks.

Packaging Information (PI)

McMaster University Library preservation metadata packages both the descriptive and preservation metadata together.
Descriptive Information (DI)

Depending on the type of CDO, the format of this descriptive metadata can vary (MODS or Dublin Core), but is selected to maximize findability. In all cases, the descriptive metadata will be recreated within the preservation metadata.

Dissemination Information Package (DIP)

OAIS describes a DIP as "the Information Package, derived from a part, or all, of one or more AIPs, received by the Consumer in response to a request to the OAIS."
McMaster University Library's DIPs are always generated from a single AIP.
User access to archival objects is generally provided through the McMaster University Digital Archive website.
Depending on the level of access, a user can see basic object metadata and a link to the object article as available.
Context information is provided in the form of links to other items in a given collection.
The DIP is retrieved using the URI for the corresponding AIP. In turn, the AIP contains metadata tying it back to the SIP.

Submission Information Package (SIP)

The information package that is delivered to McMaster University digital repositories for use in the construction of one or more AIPs.
The format of the SIP may vary from submitter to submitter, based on the submitters willingness and ability to provide the content and metadata in a specific format.
For a given Content Type, any requirements or restrictions on the type of content that can be contained in the SIP will be described in that Content Type's Preservation Action Plan.