Workflow for born digital description

• In the A2C Project Trello board under "Digital description" list, identify a collection to be described {details tbd, the list doesn't exist yet}

• In the project master spreadsheet identify all of the entries for the collection; note the "Digital Location" given in the spreadsheet.

• Locate the digital objects on the storage server location shown in the spreadsheet (LibPres or LibNAS) (see Interpreting the AIP for more information).

• Get a sense of the digital materials to be described:

  • Open the "documentation" subfolder and review the log file (if there is one), and photographs of the original media
  • Open the "metadata" subfolder and review the file list(s)

• Open the Resource record in ArchivesSpace and review the general collection description.

• Note the location and format of the original media in the spreadsheet and locate the media in the container list. If no media is listed, add it to the list under the appropriate accession or series.

• Update the collection (resource)-level description as appropriate, according to the description guidelines, to reflect the digital materials.

• Locate the physical media in the container list and add description of the digital content. If the physical media is not listed, describe both the digital content and media as outlined in the instructions for describing computer media).

• Add a digital object record for the preservation files, as outlined in the guidelines for creating Digital object records. Add a file version for access copies, if any.

• If collection includes restrictions on access, or there are any questions about providing access to the digital content, flag the content for Digital Preservation Archivist (DPA) to do further assessment and go on to the next collection (see When collections should be flagged below). If there are no restrictions on the digital content proceed to step 9

  • add a note to the Master Spreadsheet describing the issue
  • inform DPA via comment in the spreadsheet {or in Trello board?}.

• Add file lists or log files as additional digital objects (see instructions).

• Add a Revision statement for finding aid.

• Publish the finding aid (instructions).

When collections should be flagged

Collections with born-digital content should be flagged for further assessment by the Digital Preservation Archivist (DPA) if they have fall under one or more of the following categories:

• there is a note in the log file or master spreadsheet specifically stating that content needs to be reviewed prior to access; or any note about sensitive, confidential, or restricted content.
• the collection carries access restrictions and you think the digital content falls within the area of restriction (example: access note states that there is confidential third-party material that needs to be separated out before the collection can be open).
• there are many unknown or obscure file formats and more information is needed about how to access the content.