What to do with audiovisual carriers after digitization? VIAA, the Flemish audiovisual archive, developed a five step decision framework?

1. Discarding AV carriers after digitisation:
A five-step decision framework
Brecht Declercq, VIAA - FIAT/IFTA World Conference - Warsaw, 12.10.2016

2. WHY?
HOW?
5 STEPS
NEXT STEPS

4. 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

5. 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

6. ADVISE
NEEDED

7. 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?

8. HOW?
EXPERTS
FARO
PACKED
VVBAD
DISCUSSION
PARTNER
BRAIN-
STORM
SESSIONS
ARGUMENTS
LISTED
INTER-
NATIONAL
EXPERT
DEBATE
MORE
EXPERTS
FIVE
STEP
FRAME-
WORK
WORKING
INSTRUMENT
USE
CASES
TEST IN
PRACTICE

9. HOW?

10. 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?

11. START
Is 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

12. Five steps
PREAMBLE STOP
1
2
STOP
3
STOP
4
STOP
5
STOP
DISCARD

13. 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”, ...

14. STEP 1
Is 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, ...

15. 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?

16. STEP 3
Is 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

17. STEP 4
Are 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

18. STEP 5
Is 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

19. 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

20. The decision tree:
working instrument that needs testing
 Test cases needed,
o Every case is different
o 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

21. WHAT WE
DON’T WANT
ARCHIVE