Video - Preservation Action Plan

Video - Preservation Action Plan

Introduction

This document describes the preservation plan for video content in the McMaster University Digital Archive. The preservation plan for video content follows from policies and practices described in the Strategic Framework for Digital Preservation and the Digital Preservation Implementation Plan. This document explains practical steps that McMaster University Library takes to preserve the intellectual content of video in digital format. It outlines the basic tools, methods, and standards used for the long-term preservation of video content.

Content Formats

For the preservation of video content, McMaster University Library requires uncompressed 8 or 10 bit AVI versions of the content and descriptive metadata. During the ingest process, derivatives are created to provide easy access to content. McMaster University Library continuously monitors developments in file formats to determine if and when formats require migration (see Environmental Monitoring of Preservation Formats).

SIP Format

Video SIPs (see Definition of AIP_DIP_SIP) generally consists of an AVI file, and an associated MODS descriptive metadata file.

Analysis on Ingest

Upon ingest, every file in the repository is subject to identification of its file format and validation using FITS. The output of the FITS identification and validation processes are recorded to a technical metadata datastream (TECHMD_FITS) that is associated with the object in the repository.

Content Excluded

McMaster University Library does not ingest files that are not referenced (either as part of a representation or as associated datastreams) in the associated metadata. As the SIP is retained, these files can later be ingested if necessary.

Format Normalization

There is no format normalization if the submitted object is an uncompressed 8 or 10 bit AVI.

Metadata Normalization

When necessary, McMaster University Library crosswalks descriptive metadata from MODS to Dublin Core. The repository creates preservation metadata for each file. The preservation level, explained in the Digital Preservation Implementation Plan, is applied to each file upon ingest and recorded in the preservation metadata for each file.

Acceptable Formats

For the Full Preservation level for video, currently the acceptable formats are AVI. Video submissions may be MPEG, MP4, OGG, MKV, or QuickTime format, however they will be preserved at the Bit-level Preservation level.