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A stratified approach to contentoptimised digital video preservation
Journal of Digital Media Management,
13
(2),
176-186
(2025)
Abstract
Brigham Young University library houses thousands of unique audiovisual recordings within special collections. The library has been managing an audiovisual digitisation programme since 2019 to provide access and preserve audiovisual content in perpetuity. To address the preservation of cultural heritage video content, a stratified approach has been developed according to video content characteristics. This stratification is useful in determining appropriate digital preservation. An argument is made for the use of unconventional lossy video compression codecs in video preservation practice to responsibly balance the needs of digital preservation and resource realities. This paper outlines the underlying reasoning, careful consideration, specific procedures and some results of the implementation of this approach. Similar questions and procedures should be considered when significant video preservation projects are undertaken.
Keywords: digital video preservation encoding specifications; Brigham Young University library; audiovisual; digitisation; audiovisual content; cultural heritage; digital preservation
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Ben Harry is the Media Arts History and Audiovisual Materials Archivist, Special Collections, at Brigham Young University. A media historian and audiovisual archivist, Ben Harry holds a master’s degree in moving image archive studies from UCLA. Ben has previously worked for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the Library of Congress and the Church History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His research interests include archival maintenance of audiovisual materials, digitisation and access to archival materials, and historical records and research of radio, television and the cinema.
