Over the last 50 years, the role of an archivist has adapted massively to include the collecting and processing of digital records.
Types of Digital Records
There are two types of digital record:
Born Digital
Born digital records are records which are created in a digital format- for example a word document, a spreadsheet, an audio file or a video file. These files are accessed via digital hardware such as laptops or desktop computers and unless they are created in a format that can be printed, they cannot be accessed outside of this environment.
Digitised
Digitised records begin life in a physical format, like a book, VHS tape or cassette tape. A series of processes is applied to these items to create a digital version which can then be stored, preserved and accessed via digital hardware. We digitise these records for many reasons. One main reason is access. People all over the world can view a digital file online, whereas the same number will be unlikely to travel to an archive to view the original. The originals may be very fragile or damaged and digitising them will create a digital copy which can then be accessed to protect the original. In rare cases records are digitised for storage reasons where the physical items take up too much space but there is a desire to keep the information they contain.
DROID
Just like with physical collections, the most important thing when you start working on a digital collection is to know what you have. The UK National Archive have created DROID, a, free, easy to use tool which runs checks on a specified batch of files and produces a list of all the file formats contained in the file batch.
This is the first and one of the most important steps in any digital preservation process.
PRONOM
DROID uses a tool called PRONOM, which is a file format registry that identifies your files. PRONOM can also be accessed and searched if you encounter a file format that you haven’t seen before.
PRONOM is a file format registry or database in which stores information about different file formats, such as word documents, pdf or mp3. It describes some key information about each file format: the typical extensions used and the patterns and data that can be used to identify file formats. The information that identifies a file is called a format signature.
The Importance of PRONOM
For the same reason it is essential for a conservator to know if a physical record is vellum or paper, or if the materials used for writing are watercolour or iron gall ink, gigital preservation experts have to know what file formats are in their collection and what software can open them in order to effectively preserve them for future generations.
For this reason, PRONOM is used all over the world in the fields of digital preservation, information management, and digital forensics.
There are now over 2000 file formats recorded in PRONOM but there is still a long way to go. It has help from contributors all around the world and has collaborated with around 100 institutions, ranging from archives and libraries, through to museums and educational institutions, and even private companies who are interested in the long-term preservation of digital records.
Test your file format knowledge, or find out more about PRONOM below.
Further Information
The resources provided by the Digital Preservation Coalition, such as the free Digital Preservation Handbook will provide a step by step guide for those new to working with digital records, or anyone keen to manage their own personal collections better.