Digitization Guidelines 

The specifications are based on standards developed by the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives, The British Library, the University of Maryland Library, the Sound Directions project by Indiana University and Harvard University, the National Film Preservation Foundation, and the University of Virginia's Digital Media Lab. Specifications for preservation access masters are also based on anticipated delivery format, such as streaming Flash or QuickTime video.

Items are selected for audiovisual reformatting according to format, condition, and uniqueness, as well as patron request and playback machine obsolescence. At present, priority is given to audiovisual materials with inaccessible formats, poor condition, and one‐of‐a‐kind or rare status.

Preservation‐level reformatting standards for audiovisual material on optical media or in the form of digital files have not yet been determined.

Preservation Services is investigating the use of uncompressed files on data tape, such as LTO‐3/4, and Motion JPEG 2000 files as new standards for moving image preservation masters.

N.B. The standards and specifications mentioned above are not written in stone; in fact they are in flux as different options for audiovisual preservation emerge. Preservation Services welcomes all ideas and suggestions pertaining to reformatting audiovisual materials.