Over the past decade, as the scholarly community’s reliance on e-content has increased, so too has the development of preservation-related digital repositories. The need for descriptive, administrative, and structural metadata for each digital object in a preservation repository was clearly recognized by digital archivists and curators. However, in the early 2000’s, most of the published specifications for preservation-related metadata were either implementation specific or broadly theoretical. In 2003, the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and Research Libraries Group (RLG) established an international working group called PREMIS (Preservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies) to develop a common core set of metadata elements for digital preservation. The first version of the PREMIS Data Dictionary for Preservation Metadata and its supporting XML schema was issued in 2005. Experience using its specifications in preservation repositories has led to several revisions, with the completion of a version 2.0 in 2008. The Data Dictionary is now in version 2.2 (July 2012), and it is widely implemented in preservation repositories throughout the world in multiple domains.

1. http://www.niso.org/news/events/2013/webinars/preservation
NISO Webinar:
Metadata for Preservation:
A Digital Object's Best Friend
February 13, 2013
Speakers: Rebecca Guenther, Amy Kirchhoff

2. Metadata for Preservation: A Digital
Object’s Best Friend
Introduction to Preservation Metadata
Rebecca Squire Guenther
Library of Congress, NDMSO and
Consultant, meetyourdata.com
rguenther52@gmail.com
NISO Webinar, Feb. 13, 2013

3. Digital preservation: imperative and challenge
 More and more of scholarly and cultural record exists in digital
form; steps must be taken to secure its long-term future
 Groups such as Digital Preservation Coalition, NDIIPP and National
Digital Stewardship Alliance have made significant progress in
raising awareness about digital preservation imperative
 Gradual shift in focus from articulating problem to solving it …
• Not so much “Why is digital preservation important” anymore;
rather, “What must be done to achieve preservation objectives?”
 Many practical challenges in implementing reliable, sustainable
digital preservation programs
 One key challenge: preservation metadata

4. Metadata and preservation metadata
PRESERVATION
“Structured information that METADATA
describes, explains, locates,
or otherwise makes it easier to
retrieve, use, or manage an
information resource”
“Metadata that supports
and documents the digital
preservation process”
METADATA

5. Preservation
Preservation metadata includes: Metadata
 Provenance: Content
• Who has had custody/ownership of the
digital object?
10 years on
 Authenticity:
• Is the digital object what it purports to be?
50 years on
 Preservation Activity:
• What has been done to preserve it? Forever!
 Technical Environment:
• What is needed to render and use it?
 Rights Management:
• What IPR must be observed?
 Makes digital objects self-documenting across time

6. Basics of preservation metadata
 Digital preservation concentrates on well-designed formal
systems based on digital library and trusted digital
repository concepts
 Information about what needs to be preserved and how are
part of any preservation system
 Since items aren’t on shelves, metadata is the only
mechanism for actually keeping or finding anything
 3 concepts are important
• Metadata about preservation of digital objects
• Preservation of metadata itself to ensure that content
and metadata is preserved
• Use of metadata in a trusted digital repository

8. PREMIS Data Dictionary
 May 2005: Data Dictionary for Preservation
Metadata: Final Report of the PREMIS Working
Group
• Version 2.0 (April 2008)
• Version 2.1 (January 2011)
• Version 2.2 (July 2012)
• Version 3.0 expected 2013
 Includes:
Data Dictionary Context/assumptions
Data model Usage examples
Conformance XML schema to support implementation
 Data Dictionary:
• Core set of implementable, broadly applicable preservation
metadata semantic units, supported by guidelines and
recommendations for management and use

9. What does PREMIS cover?
 Administrative metadata that supports the digital
preservation process
 Provides information to help manage a resource
for preservation purposes
• Technical characteristics
• Information about actions on an object
• Relationships (structural and derivative)
• Structural: indicates how compound objects are put
together
• Derivative: results of common preservation actions
• Rights metadata associated with preservation
 In OAIS terms:
• Metadata as part of SIP, AIP or DIP
• Fits into Preservation Description Information
(Reference, Context, Provenance, Fixity)

10. What PREMIS is and is not
 What PREMIS is:
• Common data model for organizing/thinking about preservation
metadata
• A checklist for core metadata in a repository
• Guidance for local implementations
• Standard for exchanging information packages between repositories
 What PREMIS is not:
• Out-of-the-box solution: need to instantiate as metadata elements in
repository system
• All needed metadata: excludes business rules, format-specific
technical metadata, descriptive metadata for access, non-core
preservation metadata
• Lifecycle management of objects outside repository
• Rights management: limited to permissions regarding actions taken
within repository

11. PREMIS Data Model
Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

12. Intellectual Entities
 Set of content that is
considered a single
intellectual unit for purposes
of management and
description (e.g., a book, a
photograph, a map, a
database)
 May include other Intellectual
Examples: Entities (e.g. a website that
 Rabbit Run by John Updike includes a web page)
(a book)  **Has one or more digital
 “Maggie at the beach” representations**
(a photograph)  Previously not fully described
 The Library of Congress in PREMIS DD, but will be in
Website (a website) scope in version 3.0
 The Library of Congress:
American Memory Home
page (a web page)

13.  Discrete unit of information in
Objects digital form
 **Objects are what repository
actually preserves**
 Three types of Object:
• FILE: named and ordered
sequence of bytes that is
known by an operating
system
• REPRESENTATION: set of
Examples: files, including structural
 chapter1.pdf (a file) metadata, that, taken
together, constitute a
 chapter1.pdf + chapter2.pdf + complete rendering of an
chapter3.pdf (representation of Intellectual Entity
a book w/3 chapters) • BITSTREAM: data within a
 TIFF file containing header and file with properties relevant
2 images (2 bitstreams for preservation purposes
(images), each with own set of (but needs additional
properties (semantic units): structure or reformatting to
e.g., identifiers, technical be stand-alone file)
Intellectual entity will become
metadata, inhibitors, … ) another level of object

14. Object Example: book in two versions
Intellectual Entity
Da Vinci Code by
Dan Brown
Representation 1
Representation 2
Page image
ebook version
version
File 1: File 2: File N: File N+1: File 1:
page1.tiff page2.tiff pageN.tiff METS.xml book.lit

15. Events
 An action that involves or
impacts at least one Object or
Agent associated with or
known by the preservation
repository
 Helps document digital
provenance. Can track
Examples: history of Object through the
 Validation Event: use JHOVE chain of Events that occur
tool to verify that during the Objects lifecycle
chapter1.pdf is a valid PDF  Determining which Events
file should be recorded, and at
 Ingest Event: transform an what level of granularity is up
OAIS SIP into an AIP
to the repository
 Migration Event: create a
new version of an Object in
an up-to-date format

16. Agents
 Person, organization, or
software program/system
associated with an Event or a
Right (permission statement)
 Agents are associated only
indirectly to Objects through
Events or Rights
Examples:  Not defined in detail in
 Martha Anderson (a person) PREMIS DD; not considered
 Library of Congress (an core preservation metadata
organization) beyond identification
 Dark Archive in the Sunshine
State implementation (a
system)
 JHOVE version 1.0 (a
software program)

17. Rights Statements
 An agreement with a rights
holder that grants permission
for the repository to
undertake an action(s)
associated with an Object(s)
in the repository.
 Not a full rights expression
Example: language; focuses exclusively
 Priscilla Caplan grants FCLA on permissions that take the
digital repository permission form:
to make three copies of • Agent X grants Permission
metadata_fundamentals.pdf Y to the repository in
for preservation purposes. regard to Object Z.

18. Technical metadata pertaining to
objects
 Object identifier  Storage
 Preservation level  Environment
 Significant characteristics • software
 Object characteristics • hardware
• fixity  Digital signatures
• format  Relationships
• size  Linking event identifier
• creating application  Linking permission
• inhibitors
statement identifier
• object characteristics
extension
 Creating application
 Original name

19. Semantic units pertaining to Events:
provenance and preservation activity
 Event identifier
 Event type (e.g.
capture, creation, validation, migration, fixity
check)
 Event dateTime
 Event detail
 Event outcome
 Event outcome detail
 Linking agent identifier
 Linking object identifier

20. Semantic units pertaining to Rights
Rights Statement Rights Granted
Rights Statement act
Identifier restriction
Rights Basis termOfGrant
Copyright Information rightsGranted
License Information Linking Object
Statute Information Identifier
Other Rights Information
Linking Agent Identifier
rightsExtension

21. Semantic units pertaining to Agents
 Agent Identifier
 Agent Name
 Agent Type
 Agent Note
 Agent Extension
 linking Event Identifier
 Linking Rights Identifier

22. The State of PREMIS
 de facto standard for preservation metadata; in some
countries mandated for cultural heritage repositories
 Was recognized by winning the Digital Preservation Award
(2005) and was shortlisted for DPC Decennial award for
outstanding contribution to digital preservation (2012)
 PREMIS implementations are appearing in many
places, many contexts, many forms
 Experimentation has led to changes in the data dictionary
and schema
 PREMIS Implementation fairs: attempts to consolidate
implementation experiences, issues, best practices,

23. Key features of PREMIS
 Developed through international consensus-making process
 Mobilized community to address shared need
 Shared solution to a shared need
 Implementation neutral
• Makes no assumptions about technology
• Can be flexibly adapted for use across all sorts of
institutions, digital preservation contexts, repository systems
• Allows for extensibility
 Supported by Maintenance Activity and Editorial
Committee, under auspices of US Library of Congress
 PREMIS is sustained, maintained, and evolved
 Extensive outreach to implementer community
 Tutorials, guides, implementation fairs, PIG Forum
 “Support system” in place for PREMIS implementers

24. PREMIS Maintenance Activity
 Web site:
• Permanent Web presence, hosted by
Library of Congress
• Central destination for PREMIS-related
info, announcements, resources
• Home of the PREMIS Implementers’ Group (PIG)
discussion list
 PREMIS Editorial Committee:
• Set directions/priorities for PREMIS development
• Coordinate future revisions of Data Dictionary and XML
schema
• Promote implementation
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/

25. Implementation resources
 Tools:
• XML schema
• PREMIS-in-METS toolbox <http://pim.fcla.edu>
• Controlled vocabularies at http://id.loc.gov
• RDF/OWL ontology for use as Linked Data
 Guidelines:
• PREMIS conformance statement
• PREMIS & METS guidelines
 Community Working groups on special topics
 Others:
• Understanding PREMIS (available in multiple languages)
• PIG Forum
• Implementation Registry
• Tools Registry

26. Some implementers …
 DAITTSS (Florida): a preservation repository for the use of the
libraries of the public universities of Florida.
 Ex Libris Rosetta: a commercial digital preservation system
supporting
acquisition, validation, ingest, storage, management, preservation
and dissemination of different types of digital objects
 National Digital Newspaper Program
 Archivematica: comrehensive open-source digital preservation
system
 National Archives of Sweden, National Archives of Scotland
 Carolina Digital Repository: repository for material in electronic
formats produced by members of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill community.
 British Library electronic journal archiving project
 For more information see:
• http://www.loc.gov/premis/premis-registry.html

27. Impact
 De facto international standard for preservation metadata
• Part of permanent infrastructure supporting digital
preservation
• ISO standardization being considered
 Wide applicability means benefits from PREMIS extend to
entire digital preservation community
 Ongoing work to revise/update Data Dictionary and create
new supporting resources
• PREMIS is a dynamic resource that continues to generate
new sources of value to implementer community
 Stood the test of time:
• Seven years after initial release, is now indispensable part
of digital preservation implementations around the world
• Not surpassed or replaced by other standard or resource

28. URLs, etc.
 PREMIS Maintenance Activity:
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/
 PREMIS Data Dictionary for Preservation Metadata:
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/v2/premis-2-2.pdf
 Understanding PREMIS:
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/understanding-
premis.pdf
 PREMIS Implementation Registry
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/premis-registry.php
 PREMIS Implementers Group list
http://listserv.loc.gov/listarch/pig.html

29. Metadata for
Preservation
A digital object’s best
friend
Implementation!

31. Amy Kirchhoff

33. Archive Service
Product Manager

34. Standar
ds

35. Standar
framework for thinking
ds

36. Standar
framework for thinking
interchange specification
ds

37. [The PREMIS
documentation has an]
emphasis on the need to
know rather than the
need to record or
represent in any

38. Content
Type
Content
Set(s)
Archival
Unit(s)
Content
Unit(s)
Functional
Unit(s)
Storage
Unit(s)

39. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

40. Digital preservation is the
series of management
policies and activities
necessary to ensure the
enduring
usability, authenticity, discov
erability and accessibility of

41. Dublin Core

42. Dublin Core
DIDL (from MPEG-21)

43. Dublin Core
DIDL (from MPEG-21)
METS

44. Dublin Core
DIDL (from MPEG-21)
METS
OAIS

45. Dublin Core
DIDL (from MPEG-21)
METS
OAIS
…

46. Dublin Core
DIDL (from MPEG-21)
METS
OAIS
…
Experience

47. 1. Content model
2. Metadata
elements
3. Registries

48. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

49. Identifier
s

50. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

51. Books
Journals
Digitized Newspapers
Digitized Documents
Supplied Files
Archive Management Docum

52. Books
Journals
Digitized Newspapers
Digitized Documents
Supplied Files
Archive Management Docum

53. Content
Type(s)

54. Content
Type(s)
Content
Set(s)

55. Content
Type(s)
Content
Set(s)
Archival
Unit(s)

56. Content
Type(s)
Content
Set(s)
Archival
Unit(s)
Content
Unit(s)

57. Content
Type(s)
Content
Set(s)
Archival
Unit(s)
Content
Unit(s)
Functional
Unit(s)

58. Content
Type
Content
Set(s)
Archival
Unit(s)
Content
Unit(s)
Functional
Unit(s)
Storage
Unit(s)

59. Descriptive Metadata
Technical Metadata
Events Metadata

60. PMD

61. PMD
a thing of beauty

67. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

68. Semantic Units
1.1 objectIdentifier
1.2 objectCategory for Objects
1.3 preservationLevel
1.4 significantProperties
1.5 objectCharacteristics
1.6 originalName
1.7 storage
1.8 environment
1.9 signatureInformation
1.10 relationship
1.11 linkingEventIdentifier
1.12 linkingIntellectualEntityIdentifier
1.13 linkingRightsStatementIdentifier

76. Registries

80. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

81. Semantic Units
for Events
2.1 eventIdentifier
2.2 eventType
2.3 eventDateTime
2.4 eventDetail
2.5 eventOutcomeInformation
2.6 linkingAgentIdentifier
2.7 linkingObjectIdentifier

82. Processing Record
Event Sets
Events

86. Some Portico Events
Edit Descriptive Metadata
Check Descriptive Metadata
Generate Descriptive Metadata
Ingest Into Archive
Create File
Generate Technical Metadata
Set Preservation Level
Generate Fixity

87. Portico Event
Elements
Timestamp
Rationale
InputList
ArgList
Output
ToolWrapper
Tool Component List
Outcome
OutcomeDetailList

88. Content
Type
Content
Set(s)
Archival
Unit(s)
Content
Unit(s)
Functional
Unit(s)
Storage
Unit(s)

89. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

90. Semantic Units
for Agents
3.1 agentIdentifier
3.2 agentName
3.3 agentType
3.4 agentNote
3.5 agentExtension
3.6 linkingEventIdentifier
3.7 linkingRightsStatementIdentifier

93. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

94. Semantic Units
4.1 rightsStatement
for Rights
4.1.1 rightsStatementIdentifier
4.1.2 rightsBasis
4.1.3 copyrightInformation
4.1.4 licenseInformation
4.1.5 statuteInformation
4.1.6 otherRightsInformation
4.1.7 rightsGranted
4.1.8 linkingObjectIdentifier
4.1.9 linkingAgentIdentifier
4.2 rightsExtension

95. Eas
y

96. Eas
For Portico
For the moment
y

99. Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Statements
Objects Agents
Events

100. THANK YOU.
Amy Kirchhoff
amy.kirchhoff@ithaka.org
http://www.portico.org

101. NISO Webinar:
Metadata for Preservation:
A Digital Object's Best Friend
Questions?
All questions will be posted with presenter answers on
the NISO website following the webinar:
http://www.niso.org/news/events/2013/webinars/preservation
NISO Webinar • February 13, 2013

102. THANK YOU
Thank you for joining us today.
Please take a moment to fill out the brief online survey.
We look forward to hearing from you!