Metadata for Digital Preservation:
A Status Report on PREMIS
Priscilla Caplan,
FCLA
Nancy Hoebelheinrich,
Stanford University
CNI Fall Task Force Meeting
December 6-7, 2004
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
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
• Set of “prototype” preservation metadata elements
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
PREMIS
 June 2003: OCLC/RLG sponsored new working group: PREMIS
• Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
 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
 http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/pmwg/
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Membership
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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
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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
Stefan Strathmann, U. of
Gottingen
Gunter Waibel, RLG
Lisa Weber, NARA
Robin Wendler, Harvard
Hilde van Wijngaarden, KB
Andrew Wilson, NAA
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Advisory Committee
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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
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Maggie Jones, Digital
Preservation Coalition
Nancy McGovern, Cornell
Cliff Morgan, Wiley UK
Richard Rinehart, U. of
California, Berkeley
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Implementation Survey Report
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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
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Core Elements
 Mission: Define a core set of implementable
preservation metadata elements.
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Core Elements
 Mission: Define a core set of implementable
preservation metadata elements.
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Information that supports and documents the
digital preservation process;
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Information that supports the the viability,
renderability, understandability, identity and
authenticity of digital objects over time.
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Core Elements
 Mission: Define a core set of implementable
preservation metadata elements.
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What most working preservation repositories
are likely to need to know.
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
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
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CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Core Elements: Data Model
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Sample data dictionary entry
Semantic unit
Semantic
components
Definition
Rationale
Data constraint
LEVEL
Scope
Examples
Repeatability
Obligation
Notes
size
None
The size of a file or bitstream in bytes.
Size is useful for knowing whether you have retrieved
the correct number of bytes from storage and whether
an application has enough room to move or process
files. It might also be used when billing for storage.
Integer
Representation
File
Not applicable
Bitstream
Applicable
Applicable
2038927
Not repeatable
Not repeatable
Optional
Optional
May be repeated for embedded files.
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Semantic units pertaining to Objects
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objectIdentifier
contentLocation
originalName
preservationLevel
objectCharacteristics
environment
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
objectCharacteristics
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compositionlevel
fixity
size
format
inhibitors
significantProperties
creatingApplication
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Semantic units pertaining to Events
 eventIdentifier
• eventIdentifierScheme
• eventIdentifierValue
 eventType
 eventOutcome
 eventOutcomeDetail
 eventDetail
 eventDateTime
 relatedPermission
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Semantic units pertaining to Agents
 agentIdentifier
• agentIdentifierScheme
• agentIdentifierValue
 agentName
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Semantic units pertaining to Rights
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permissionStatement
 relatedObject
 grantingAgent
 grantingAgreement
 permission
 act
 restriction
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
Next steps:
PREMIS ACTIVITIES
 Complete data dictionary (January 2005)
 Write narrative report
 Develop XML schemas for exchanging metadata
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
 Community outreach
 Establish feedback/maintenance mechanism
 Testbeds for implementation and exchange
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation
Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies
For More Information:
 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: [email protected]
 Rebecca Guenther: [email protected]
CNI Fall 2004 Metadata for Digital Presrvation