Discarding AV carriers after digitisation: A five-step decision framework

Brecht Declercq, VIAA - FIAT/IFTA World Conference - Warsaw, 12.10.2016

WHY?HOW?

5 STEPSNEXT STEPS

Slide 4

DIGITISATION STATUS @VIAA

AT THIS POINT:

8 digitisation projects 357.600+ carriers involved 18 carrier types 100+ Content Partners 8 digitisation service providers

WHY?VIAA Content Partners

Regional broadcasters and the public broadcaster (VRT)• NO preservation mission -> production is core• Tendency to discard to make way in the vaults

Cultural heritage institutions• Very diverse, but DO HAVE a preservation mission • Tendency to keep

> vaults get overcrowded = not sustainable

ADVISENEEDED

WHY?

IASA TC 03: “... because of the potential for improvements in primary and secondary information retrieval and the availability of ever increasing digital resolutions, all transfers should be considered preliminary. Hence the original carriers and suitable play-back equipment must be preserved whenever possible.”

OK, but what if it is *not* possible?

HOW?

EXPERTSFARO

PACKEDVVBAD

DISCUSSION

PARTNERBRAIN-STORM

SESSIONS

ARGUMENTSLISTED

INTER- NATIONAL

EXPERTDEBATE

MOREEXPERTS

FIVESTEP

FRAME-WORK

WORKINGINSTRUMENT

USECASES

TEST INPRACTICE

HOW?

Decision tree based on: possibilities (can we do it?) desirability (is it opportune?)

CP’s asked us to make it also: A practical guide for discarding Possible to do a trade-off of pro’s and contra’s Crisp, clear, to the point argumentation Good definitions for every step Guiding flowchart: yes, yes but, no, no unless, etc. Indication on which level to apply it: collection,

subcollection, object, ...

HOW?

STARTIs there a qualitative and sustainable digital copy

of the non-file-based original available?NO - stop here. YES – go to step 1.

Step 1: Is it desirable ?NO - stop here. YES – go to step 2.

Step 2: Is it possible ?NO - stop here. YES – go to step 3.

Step 3: Is the carrier valuable in itself?NO – go to step 4. YES - stop here.

Step 4: Are the storage conditions suited?NO – go to step 5. YES - stop here.

Step 5: Is the carrier threatened?NO - stop here. YES – this carrier is ready to be discarded.

HOW TO DISCARD?

Five steps

Five steps

PREAMBLE STOP

12

STOP

3

STOP

4

STOP

5

STOP

DISCARD

CAUTIOUS BUT REALISTIC

PREAMBLE

Is there a qualitative and sustainable digital copy of the non-file-based original available?

decent digitisation – decent QC – decent collection mgmt

be aware: there’s a world behind “authenticity”, “trustworthy”, ...

STEP 1Is it desirable to discard the carrier?

In other words: is there a need to discard? will the remaining analog / digital collection benefit from it?

Only favorable if it can enhance the collection / the heritage Will the disposal effectively improve the collection?

=> reallocation of storage, staff time, funds Is there capacity to carry out a discarding project?

=> project approach: preparation, project team, ...

STEP 2

Is it allowed to discard the carrier?

In other words: Do you have the legal right to discard? Is it documented? Consulting may be required

Certain rights may block you: Do property rights apply to the item or collection?

=> what is the agreement with the depositor? Do copyrights apply to the item or collection?

=> are these rights connected to the physical object itself?

STEP 3Is the carrier valuable in itself?

In other words: In most cases only the content is digitised. Do the object, technology, history, scent, ... have a value?

Considerations about the carrier itself: Does the content or carrier have a significant value within the

collection? => Institutional mission, collection plan, ... Does the carrier have an important link with the content?

=> often linked with the intenstion of the creator Is the carrier format technically unique or rare?

=> illustration of history, description of the content

STEP 4Are the preservation conditions suitable?

In other words: Appropriate storage conditions, varying per carrier type Deterioration requires checking, influences digicost

Storage space considerations Are the storage conditions unsuitable for this carrier type?

=> Separate storage may be unaffordable, especially for small archives

Is there a pressing lack of space?=> Other collections might benefit from AVcarriers being discarded

STEP 5Is the carrier at risk or a risk in itself?

In other words: Bad storage, but also ageing can make carriers unplayable Technology become obsolete, emulation is very unlikely

Considerations about the carrier itself: Is the carrier contaminated, or degrading? Does it harm other

carriers? => e.g. moulds spread quick, vinegar syndrome is contageous

Is the carrier obsolete, or is the content unreadable? Is the playback equipment (spare parts, expertise) rare or

nonexistent? => Influences digitisation cost and likelihood of re-digitisation

STRONG Clear Accountability (direction,

funders, audience) Could be a standard Documented decision taking Pushes for quality control!

WEAK

Time and labour intensive Not (yet) a standard Optional Not watertight

OPPORTUNITIES

Starting point for broader policy Internal and external

accountability Convincing funders of the use

THREATS

Can be a cumbersome instrument

Pressure to discard can increase

Five steps: SWOT

The decision tree: working instrument that needs testing

Test cases needed, o Every case is differento Content Partners didn’t make enough progress with

QC Not yet mature enough to take decisions Animate the discussion

VIAA’s task: guide content partners in their decision.

NEXT STEPS: TEST IN PRACTICE

WHAT WE DON’T WANT

ARCHIVE