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Archiving Workflow

This workflow is optimized for a community-based, collaborative archiving project. The flow of information and metadata from one stage to the next may not be seamless, especially in the publication phase. The project leverages free and open source tools. The mapping of data fields from one tool to another may not match perfectly. Adjustments have to be made here and there.

== Phase 1: Plan, Collect, Process ==

  • researchers, data stewards, stakeholders plan the archival project
  • an individual researcher starts an individual collection, acquires materials and reference them using the Zotero reference management system. Zotero is used primarily to generate and aggregate metadata.
  • an individual researcher organizes her individual collection in one sharable directory, with subdirectories as collection categories or subcategories, and with files named according to a filenaming convention according to a documented archival project plan.
  • issues to taken in this phase include (among others): data management; filenaming convention; media formats, resolutions; preservation or sharing files. See also Digital Humanities Archiving.

Tip: When linking an entry's metadata to source file, use “Attach link to file” or “Attach link to URL” instead of “Attached stored copy of file.” See more tips.

== Phase 2: Back up, Aggregate, Share==

  • researchers start backing up and sharing their individual collections with data stewards using Resilio Sync.
  • researchers aggrege their collections via a closed or private Zotero group (required: free registration at zotero.org). Only the collection metadata are aggregated. Source files stays with individual researchers and backed up with data stewards.
  • researchers, data stewards, stakeholders manage the quality of the aggregated collection according to the archival project plan.

== Phase 3: Publish==

  • data stewards publish the aggregated collection online as a general catalog using the Eprints publicly searchable archive or repository. For heavy video and audio files, the Avalon Media System is the recommended publication platform.
  • researchers have to verify the accuracy of published online catalog.

Special characters, subtypes and other special metadata fields from Zotero or from the collection stage may not come out accurately in publication platforms like Eprints. Adjustments have to be made by editing the entries concerned in the publication platform itself.

Copyleft or copyright concerns have to be addressed in this Phase. Those source materials that can be shared publicly have to uploaded and linked to appropriate repository entries.

Tip: For managers of Eprints publicly searchable archive or repository, note that metadata imported from Zotero are kept temporarily in the uploader's userspace. They have to be individually moved to a common space where Reviewers can review and polish the entries. See also eprints-deposits.

See Also