Digital object records
NOTE: Somewhat outdated, particularly in examples
A digital object record indicates whether an archival object has a digital instantiation and where it is located in a network- or web-accessible location, such as a file server or digital asset management system. In most cases, a digital object record does not provide descriptive metadata about a digital object, as that is recorded and managed in the digital object record's parent archival object record. Digital object records should always be associated with a resource record or archival object record (and accession record, if applicable), never standing alone.
Only minimal metadata is added to the Digital Object Record. Descriptive and administrative metadata should be entered in the accession level and resource record or archival object record.
Container instance sub-record: Mandatory
Digital object record: Mandatory
| Field | Description | Example | PUI* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Object | Enter the digital object associated with the accession, resource, or archival object record. If the digital object record already exists in ArchivesSpace, type the digital object title into the box and the field will autocomplete or choose to Browse to select a digital object record using the browse function. If the digital object record doesn’t exist, follow instructions for creating a digital object record in the section on digital object record creation and management and the section below for how to enter data appropriately into a digital object record. | Y |
| Field | Description | Example | PUI* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | The title of the digital object record should carry over the title of the archival object record to which it is attached. | Kate Pearson interview with Jodi Schmidt (title for archival object and digital object records) | Y |
| Identifier | Enter an identifier that uniquely identifies the digital object as a whole. | smith_ca_80-07_b3036_f019_002 | Y |
| Publish? | Check if the digital object should be included in EAD exports or the PUI | Do not publish digital object records if they only have unpublished file versions. | Y/N |
Add a file version for each separate storage location and online versions.
| Field | Description | Example | PUI* |
|---|---|---|---|
| File URI | Enter an identifier for the digital object that is accessible on the web; or the path of the object in storage. | https://compass.fivecolleges.edu/object/smith:731; or \{server path}\10_college_history\smith_ca_001_2016A-034 | Y/N |
| Publish? | Check if the file version should be included in EAD exports or the PUI | Do not publish digital object records if object lives only on the storage server; or any content that should not appear in the online finding aid. | Y/N |
| Caption | Description of what this file version is, becomes the text of a link to the file URI in EAD exports | Example for a published file: "Link to video interview of Alice Bag"; or "preservation file" | Y/N |
| XLink Actuate Attribute | Select "onRequest" from dropdown list (for online public access file only) | Y/N | |
| XLink Show Attribute | Select "new" from dropdown list (for online public access file only) | Y/N |
If the digital object is publicly accessible online, add a thumbnail file version if a thumbnail is available. You can add thumbnails in batch using the add_thumbs_file_versions.py script or add them manually as described below.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| File URI | Enter the url of the thumbnail that is accessible on the web. Example: https://compass.fivecolleges.edu/islandora/object/smith:387586/datastream/TN/view |
| Publish? | Check so that it will show up to the public in ArchivesSpace |
| Caption | Leave blank |
| Use Statement | Select "Image-Thumbnail" |
| XLink Actuate Attribute | Select "onLoad" from dropdown list |
| XLink Show Attribute | Select "embed" from dropdown list |
For the most part, digital objects should not get their own individual description. Rather, description should be at the archival object, resource, or accession level, and the digital object acts as a carrier for file versions. However, there are occasions where descriptive metadata at the digital object record is warranted:
- When digitized content does not represent an entire discrete object, it should be described on the digital object record. For example, this 2-page calendar spread from an appointment book. Because the entire appointment book was not digitized, description should be added to the digital object. Had the entire appointment book been digitized it may have warranted creating an archival object for the appointment book and/or the rest of the contents of these folders.
- Parts of multi-part objects may be given their own titles on digital object records, but the remainder of description should remain on the archival object, provided the access rights are the same for both objects. See "The Global Women's Movement," Loretta Ross, undated for an example of this. The two audio recordings are discrete digital objects, but both are sufficiently described by the archival object's description.
- While this is not current practice, historically, some oral histories have had their transcripts and videos described on the archival object in the aggregate, despite the digital objects being different formats. See Katherine Acey interviewed by Kelly Anderson, July 19, 20 and 29, 2007 for an example of this. See Describing Oral Histories for current guidance on oral history description.
*PUI = public user interface