Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies (PREMIS)

1. Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies(PREMIS) Rebecca Guenther Library of Congress rgue@loc.gov (Robin Wendler Harvard University r_wendler@harvard.edu ) November 4, 2005

2. Overview of presentation • Background to PREMIS • PREMIS membership and charge • Preservation repositories implementation survey • PREMIS Core elements group • Development of data dictionary • Data model • Next steps • Implementation issues

3. OCLC/RLG Preservation Metadata Framework Working Group • OCLC/RLG Preservation Metadata Working Group • Convened March 2000 • Looked at CEDARS, NLA, NEDLIB, OCLC • Preservation metadata framework (June 2002) • Synthesized elements from existing sets • Based on OAIS information model • Elaboration of OAIS • Set of “prototype” preservation metadata elements http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/pmwg/pm_framework.pdf

4. PREMIS • June 2003: OCLC/RLG sponsored new working group: PREMIS • Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies • Built on preservation metadata framework of previous working group • Objectives • Define “core” set of preservation metadata elements, with supporting data dictionary, applicable to broad range of digital preservation activities • Identify and evaluate alternative strategies for encoding, storing, managing, and exchanging preservation metadata • 2 subgroups: Core elements and Implementation • http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/pmwg/

5. Priscilla Caplan, FCLA (Chair) Rebecca Guenther, LC (Chair) Michael Alexander, British Library George Barnum, GPO Charles Blair, U. of Chicago Olaf Brandt, U. of Gottingen Adam Farquhar, British Library David Gewirtz, Yale Kevin Glavash, MIT/Dspace Cathy Hartman, U. of N. Texas Helen Hodgart, British Library Nancy Hoebelheinrich, Stanford Roger Howard/Sally Hubbard, Getty Museum Pam Kircher, OCLC John Kunze, Calif. Digital Library Brian Lavoie, OCLC liaison Robin Dale, RLG liaison Vicky McCarger, LA Times Jerry McDonough, NYU/METS Evan Owens, JSTOR Erin Rhodes, NARA Madi Solomon, Walt Disney Co. Angela Spinazze, ATSPIN Gunter Waibel, RLG Lisa Weber, NARA Robin Wendler, Harvard Hilde van Wijngaarden, KB Andrew Wilson, NAA Membership

6. Howard Besser, UCLA Liz Bishoff, OCLC (via Colorado Digitization Program) Gerard Clifton, National Library of Australia Gail Hodge, CENDI Steve Knight, National Library of New Zealand Maggie Jones, Digital Preservation Coalition Nancy McGovern, Cornell Cliff Morgan, Wiley UK Richard Rinehart, U. of California, Berkeley Advisory Committee

7. Implementation Survey Report • State of the art in Winter, 2003/2004 • 28 libraries, 7 archives, 3 museums, and 11 other • 13 different countries; 45% from U.S. • 38% in planning; 33% development; 46% production

8. Survey findings • Little experience with digital preservation • Most didn’t have active preservation strategy • Many not yet in production • Cannot assess adequacy of metadata • Lack of common vocabulary and conceptual framework • Informed by OAIS reference model • Difference of opinion as to meaning of OAIS compliance • Metadata • Many recording rights, provenance, technical, administrative, descriptive and structural • Most repositories serve goals of both preservation and access

9. Trends • Store metadata redundantly in XML or relational database and with content data objects • Use METS for structural metadata and as container for descriptive and administrative; MIX for images • Use OAIS as framework and starting point • Maintain multiple versions (originals, some normalized or migrated) in repository with complete metadata for all versions • Choose multiple strategies for digital preservation

10. Core Elements • Mission: Define a core set of implementable preservation metadata elements.

11. Core Elements • Mission: Define a core set of implementable preservation metadata elements. • Information that supports and documents the digital preservation process; • Information that supports the viability, renderability, understandability, identity and authenticity of digital objects over time.

12. Core Elements • Mission: Define a core set of implementable preservation metadata elements. • What most working preservation repositories are likely to need to know • Core does not imply mandatory

13. Core Elements • Mission: Define a core set of implementable preservation metadata elements. • As rigorous as possible • As much explanation as possible • Implementation neutral -- “This is what you have to know” • Values can be automatically supplied and processed -- no lengthy textual descriptions

14. Core Elements: Data Model

15. Scope of data dictionary • Implementation independent • Descriptive metadata out of scope • Metadata about Agents is limited • Technical metadata applying to all or most format types • Media or hardware details is limited • Business rules are essential for working repositories, but not covered • Rights information for preservation actions, not access

16. Sample data dictionary entry

17. objectIdentifier preservationLevel objectCategory objectCharacteristics creatingApplication originalName Storage environment signatureInformation relationship linkingEventIdentifier linkingIntellectual Entity Identifier linkingPermission StatementIdentifier Semantic units pertaining to objects

18. objectCharacteristics • compositionlevel • fixity • size • format • significantProperties • inhibitors

19. Semantic units pertaining to Events • eventIdentifier • eventType • eventDateTime • eventDetail • eventOutcome • eventOutcomeDetail • linkingAgentIdentifier • linkingObjectIdentifier

20. Semantic units pertaining to Agents • agentIdentifier • agentName • agentType

21. Semantic units pertaining to Rights • permissionStatement • permissionStatementIdentifier • relatedObject • grantingAgent • grantingAgreement • permissionGranted • act • restriction • termOfGrant • permissionNote

22. PREMIS products • PREMIS report • PREMIS data dictionary • Examples • Schemas • premis.xsd (container) • object.xsd • event.xsd • agent.xsd • rights.xsd

23. Follow-up activities • Maintenance activity • LC is hosting web site • http://www.loc.gov/premis • Setting up an administrative structure for maintenance and experimentation • Further maintenance of data dictionary and schemas • Testbeds for implementation and exchange • PREMIS Implementors Group • Community outreach • Consider formal standardization

24. Implementation considerations • Schema use with specific implementations (e.g. METS) • Machine generation of metadata • Tools • Role of registries (format, environment) • Prospects for collaboration and exchanging information content • Rights and permissions • Emergence of best practices • Support needed from PREMIS maintenance activity

26. For More Information: • PREMIS Maintenance Site (main site going forward) • http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/ • PREMIS Web Site • www.oclc.org/research/projects/pmwg • “Implementing Metadata in Digital Preservation Systems: The PREMIS Activity” D-Lib (April ‘04) • www.dlib.org/dlib/april04/lavoie/04lavoie.html • RLG DigiNews October 2004 and December 2004 issues • www.rlg.org/en/page.php?Page_ID=12081 Priscilla Caplan: pcaplan@ufl.edu Rebecca Guenther: rgue@loc.gov