180 · Representative Documents: Managing Digital Assets
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
Preservation Plan for Digital Images
http://www.lib.ua.edu/wiki/digcoll/index.php/Preservation
Preservation -UA Libraries Digital Services Planning and Documentation
http://www.lib.ua.edu/wiki/digcoll/index.php/Preservation[8/7/13 10:45:28 AM]
Level V digitized at
patron request
No No No No No No Yes
Committed to sustain access
Every feasible effort will be made to continue access to this content. This may involve migration to new
formats, or development and maintenance of emulation methods. This level of institutional commitment
can only be made for content created in current archival format standards. Content not created in current
archival standards is much likely to be migratable to new formats. However, if the content continues to be
of value and either such migration is feasible and retains the significant properties of the content, or if
emulation support is feasible, then continued access will be supported.
Migration Support
1. Formats of archival files and versions of metadata will be stored on the top layer of the file
system, in a flat text file exported regularly from the database where all entries to the storage
system are entered and monitored regularly for format or metadata migration requirements.
2. Descriptive, administrative, and provenance metadata will be stored in current schemas and
formats in the file system as specified.
3. Technical metadata will be extracted from archival files and formatted for storage into appropriate
schemas (local profiles are currently under development, drawing from standards such as MIX for
images, TextMD for text, AudioMD for audio).
4. Open-source software which renders the current archival format, if available, will be stored in the
archive. This will enable migration to newer file formats after the current ones become obsolete.
5. A copy of an open-source operating system which supports the open-source software, if available
and feasible, will be stored in the archive.
6. Software and documentation necessary for emulation (recreation of the current user experience of
our delivery system) will be stored in the archive.
7. File system information which enables emulation of the operating system to support the file
system will be stored with the content.
Emulation Support
1. In addition to the migration support above, open-source software needed for creating derivatives
and providing web delivery may be stored in the archive.
2. Documentation of current procedures for recreating the current online user experience may be
stored in the archive.
Bit-Level Preservation
1. MD5 checksum scripts will run before each tape backup to verify content is not corrupt, and will
notify the repository administrator of any errors. Backup copies of current checksums are stored
on a separate server, and scripts on a third separate server verify checking scripts run as
scheduled and without error.
2. We are and will continue to be involved in LOCKSS or a similar preservation network, supporting
at least 6 copies of the archival content across a geographically disbursed area. All archival
content will be made available to this system.
Annual Review
1. Prior to obsolescence, all content will be evaluated for preservation measures, which may involve
either migration (reformatting) or emulation. Dependent upon their decisions and the availability of
resources and viable migration/emulation methods, efforts will be made to continue accessibility.
All preservation measures taken will be recorded.
2. If continued accessibility is deemed infeasible or advised against, online access will end, and
stored content and metadata will be deleted.
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