Archipel

Period: August 2010 - March 2011 A workflow was developed for digitising and archiving analogue audiovisual objects, i.e.:

• film (various formats in various celluloid film gauges);
• video (various formats in various carriers of magnetic video tape and laser disc);
• audio (various formats on magnetic sound tape, vinyl ...).

This was also extended to the encoding of several popular digital media formats, such as Digital Betacam and MiniDV, DAT or MiniDisc. As a result of this workflow PACKED vzw and eDAVID have delivered three separate products: Manuscript for a handbook The integrated workflow for digitising and archiving was written down in a manuscript, which could then serve as the basis for a practical handbook and a derivative online version of this handbook. The text is aimed at managers of institutes engaged in collection management and includes a glossary of frequently used terms and a reading list. Training kit on the integrated approach of digitising and archivingBased on the workflow, a modular training kit was developed. Components of this final product are:

• a training programme for the full course, divided into modules
• instructions and learning objectives for each module
• a schedule
• slides/handouts for presentations
• excercises and their solutions

This course was offered and organised as part of Archipel-WP1, in collaboration with PACKED vzw and eDAVID. Open source planning tool for digitisation and archiving workflow managementThis tool is the workflow's final project. Amongst others, it contains a template to follow up on your workflow at all stages, together with filled-out examples of this template. All three products include at least the following components:

• An analysis of the source material and required quality as a basis for the content and contextual management of the actual digitisation; the identification of 'significant properties' of the original and/or authentic document on the one hand and the determination of the needs of the author, the collection manager and the user as part of the output requirements of the digitisation process on the other hand.
• Definition of the digitisation parameters and options for restoration.
• Restoration of the analogue source material and/or the document in digitised form.
• Conversion of the analogue source material into a digital form according to the requirements defined.
• Technical quality check and content check after digitisation.
• Compilation of the required representations: digital masters (edited/raw), consultation copies.
• Preparation of submission to a digital archive.
• Business translation of the functional model implicit in the OAIS standard. The recording process, management process and dissemination process are translated into concrete stages and actions required for the long-term archiving audiovisual documents . This business analysis will be the basis of a functional analysis for the operational archiving system.

PACKED vzw and eDAVID presume that the handbook and training kit do not serve to train collection managers to execute digitisation projects themselves technically, but rather to provide them with sufficient insight in the digitisation process so they are able to

• plan a digitisation project (the planning itself, the deployment of people, the assessment of risks, budgeting ...);
• prepare a digitisation project (the selection of materials, preparation/restoration of analogue material, checking/clearing the copyrights, draw up a quotation request, evaluate the digitisation services offered ...);
• follow up on a digitisation project (logistics, creation of metadata, quality control ...).

Next to digitisation, restoration is also addressed. The handbook and training kit explain how restoration can be planned, prepared and monitored. This includes a brief introduction to audiovisual technology: the target group is familiarised with key technical features and concepts with regard to film and (analogue and digital) video. When carrying out their tasks, activities and deliverables, PACKED vzw and eDAVID take into account the standards and best practices that have been developed by and continue to be distributed through the CEST project (website only available in Dutch). All terms relating to workflows, parameters, format, codecs, compression, etc. are in accordance with the requirements for sustainable digital archiving drawn up by eDAVID.