Archival Information Package (AIP) Structure

Before beginning to work with the files, you will need to set up the folder structure for the born digital content and its preservation metadata.

Born Digital and Digital Surrogates

• 1. Create the AIP (Archival Information Package) folder structure.

     1. The root folder should contain the seven-digit collection identifier of the record series you are processing -- e.g. 1519030 for 15/19/30. For example:

• 1. Copy files into folders using Teracopy:

     1. The "rgsgrss" folder is seven-digit (numeric) collection identifier from Archon e.g. 1519030 for 15/19/30. Ties collection level descriptive metadata to the archival packet. Supplement with “a” for ALA e.g. 4503044a.

     2. The preservation folder contains the disk image and the content as it is received.

        1. Copy all files directly into this folder before changing the original order, creating access copies, or redacting files containing sensitive information.

     3. The access folder includes copies of files that will be made available in the access system after they have been weeded of duplicates and sensitive materials.

• • • 1. Where possible, create nearline and online copies of records within the access directory.

      2. Nearline and online permissions should be determined at the acquisition and accrual stage and a note should be made in the New Accessions/Accruals Tracking spreadsheet. If there is none, contact the archivist responsible for accessioning the materials.

• 1. 4. The pdi folder contains two folders--manifests and docs. These two folders contain checksums for preservation and access copies of material and any other documentation regarding the accession, migration, and provenance of the materials.

• • • 1. manifests contains files that itemizes filenames in their directories and provides checksums for the files.

         1. The latter serves as a representative of file fixity (provides a baseline to facilitate bit-level preservation, and is the foundation for additional actions, such as identification, characterization, and migration).

      2. docs contain documentation and preservation metadata reports regarding accession, provenance, etc.

• • • • 1. Tracy Popp will generate several reports, including an item-level report, during the reformatting process that will need to be transferred from the Documentation folder to the pdi folder.

Audiovisual Materials

Audiovisual materials, whether born digital or digital surrogates, require a slightly different arrangement process if transferred from Media Preservation. These materials are generally stored on the AVPres storage server and their size may require working with the Media Preservation Graduate Assistant to arrange. As above, arrangement should follow the AIP structure with access (nearline and online), pdi, and preservation folders. Below are unique considerations for audiovisual materials:

• • Files on the AVPres storage server are arranged in three folders:

    • access

    • mezzanine

    • preservation

  • To adjust to the AIP structure, transfer the files in the following pattern

    • access --> access/online

    • mezzanine --> access/nearline

    • preservation --> preservation