/programs/ourwork/past/oaisactivities.htm

originally: http://www.oclc.org/programs/ourwork/past/oaisactivities.htm

OAIS Activities

Objective: To explore and support the use of OAIS—Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System—to preserve the types of digital data held and created in libraries, archives, and museums.

Overview: OAIS describes all the functions of a digital repository: how digital objects can be prepared, submitted to an archive, stored for long periods, maintained, and retrieved as needed. It does not address specific technologies, archiving techniques, or types of content. RLG built on the OAIS model in our digital preservation projects such as PREMIS and Digital Repository Certification. We also promoted its understanding and use through RLG forums, staff papers, and this Web page.

OAIS-modeled repositories

One lament frequently heard about the Open Archival Information System is that it is a reference model rather than an implementation plan. As a conceptual framework for a complete, generic archival system, OAIS's strength is in establishing common terms and concepts for describing repository architectures and comparing implementations—without specifying an implementation an organization should use. Because of this flexibility, the reference model has been used by a variety of organizations for planning and designing digital repositories of many different types.

This page indicates how the OAIS model has been used, facilitating comparison between implementations. The OAIS-modeled or -compliant repository schematics below were provided in response to a September 2002 call posted to an OAIS-implementers discussion list or made available in presentations and reports.

Some schematics display how OAIS functional entities are mapped to local processes or entities. Others represent how the OAIS information model is being applied for local SIPs/DIPs/AIPs (submission information/dissemination information/archival information packages).

Cedars Project (CURL Exemplars in Digital Archiving)

Harvard University's Digital Repository

  • [link to href="/en/downloads/harvard_ejournal_archive.ppt" target="_blank"] Proposed OAIS-based E-Journal Archive Mapped to Harvard’s LDI Infrastructure (PowerPoint)
    —Best viewed/printed from original presentation slides: [link to a href="/en/downloads/longterm/forum02/abrams.html" target="_blank"] Harvard University's Submission Information Package for electronic journals (June 2002)
    [[This is actually part of a past event under page 234--point to it wherever Past Events land?]]
  • [ a href="/en/images/projects/LDI_Infrastructure+OAIS.jpg" target="_blank"] Repository schematic

Koninklijke Bibliotheek (KB)

Library of Congress

  • [[ a href="/en/downloads/longterm/forum02/cundiff.html" target="_blank"] The Library of Congress's Archival Information Package for audiovisual materials
    —Presentation contains multiple schematics (June 2002)
    [[This is actually part of a past event under page 234--point to it wherever Past Events land?]]

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

  • D-Space
    —Digital repository system (www.dspace.org)
  • [a href="/en/images/projects/MIT_Infrastructure+OAIS.jpg" target="_blank"] Repository schematic

OCLC Digital Archive

  • [ a href="/en/images/projects/OCLC_Digital_Archive.gif" target="_blank"] OAIS to OCLC Digital Archive

TERM: the Texas Email Repository Model

  • [ a href="/en/images/projects/TERM_fig1.jpg" target="_blank"] TERM schematic
  • [ a href="/en/images/projects/TERM_fig3.jpg" target="_blank"] TERM (pre-ingest]
  • [ a href="/en/images/projects/TERM_fig1.jpg" target="_blank"] TERM (extraction at ingest)

Resources

Related projects

Repository Certification

PREMIS