Standards
Standards activities
The library and information community has adopted a range of standards that facilitate the interchange of library data, promote the inter-operability of library systems, and support the operation of national and international networks of libraries. Adherence to standards plays an important role in improving access by users to the information resources that are held in library collections, in collections of other cultural institutions, or that are accessible on the Internet.
The National Library maintains a watching brief over national and international standards activities to ensure that the appropriate standards framework is in place or under development to support its business objectives. The Library is an active participant in the definition and promotion of selected standards for the library and information community.
Standards framework
The National Library is represented on the Standards Australia / Standards New Zealand Technical Committee IT-19 (Computer Applications in Information and Documentation). This Committee addresses standardisation practices relating to libraries, information services and related tasks. Its workplan is driven primarily by the activities of the International Organisation for Standardization's Technical Committee 46, Subcommittee 4 (ISO TC 46/ SC 4) - the equivalent international standards body. Committee IT-19 also maintains a watching brief over other areas of the work of TC 46 that relate to computer applications in information and documentation.
Collection description
The use of common collection description standards is of major importance in supporting consistent access to library materials by users and in promoting the interchange of descriptive data. The library community in Australia bases its description of library materials on RDA : Resource Description and Access. The National Library of Australia is an active member of the Oceania RDA Committee (ORDAC).
The Library has implemented the Encoded Archival Description standard for the standardisation and exchange of data about the content, structure and control of archival collections. Finding aids for collections of material are created according to the EAD standard.
Classification and shelving
The Dewey Decimal Classification scheme is the classification standard most widely used by Australian libraries, although some libraries use other classification schemes , such as the Library of Congress Classification scheme.
The National Library has closed book stacks and has since 2010 used a running number system to shelve its monograph collection. The Library primarily uses the Dewey Decimal Classification scheme to organise its serials and reference collections. The Library of Congress Classification scheme is used to organise the Library's maps collection.
Data used in library systems
There are a number of underlying standards which are also of major importance in ensuring the interchange of library data.
Item identifiers
A key type of data element is a unique number that identifies a book, serial, electronic resource, or other type of information resource. Most of the standards applicable to this area have been developed within Subcommittee 9 of ISO Technical Committee 46. Examples include ISBN, ISSN and ISMN. The Library is the national centre for ISSN and ISMN.
System interconnection
Library networks are based on the interconnection of distributed library systems, and the use of client/server technology. Key technical standards such as the Z39.50 information retrieval protocol (ISO 23950:1998), the international Interlibrary Loan Protocol (ISO 10161-1:2014 and ISO 10161-2:2014), and the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) Metadata Harvesting Protocol allow functions such as searching and interlibrary loan to be managed cooperatively between multiple computer systems.
Preservation standards
Preservation of physical collections
Despite the growth in digital collections, the Library will continue to be responsible for its very large, important and growing non-digital collections. Preserving these collections draws on a range of best practice approaches. The Library takes an active role in monitoring and contributing to developments, especially in the areas of conservation treatment, storage environments and strategies for dealing with intrinsically unstable information carriers such as cellulose acetate photographic materials and acidic newspapers.
The Library digitises physical collection items in order to enhance access and to support preservation programs. Standards play an important part in defining formats and methods capable to ensure long term, broad accessibility. The Library has adopted best practices in its image capture standards and online delivery platform. Digitisation activities in the Library are guided by its Digitisation Policy.
Preservation of digital collections
The Library is involved in developing digital archiving and preservation procedures to support both born digital and digitised assets, including both online and physical format digital resources. The Library is developing systems for recording preservation information required to manage both its digital and non-digital collections.
Preservation of audio resources
The Library takes an active role in developing informal standard procedures for sound archiving through the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA), and applies best practice approaches in managing its analogue and digital audio collections.
Image capture standards
The following image capture standards are used by the National Library in digitisation of its collection material.
All digital master images are saved as uncompressed TIFF files.
Low resolution JPEG files are made available for access and can be downloaded online.
| Material type | Standard | Specifications |
|---|---|---|
Bound Volumes: Rare and Special Materials Illuminated manuscripts, works that feature illustrations of special artistic or graphic interest | FADGI 4 Rare and special material, including colour critical material should be digitised using photography equipment capable of achieving a highly accurate image | 400 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Adobe 1998 colour space Colour |
Bound Volumes: General Collections Textual and illustrated bound books, journals with clearly legible type and visual-arts elements of limited significance | FADGI 3 General collection material should be digitised to a preservation standard but, limited visual-arts elements mean this material does not need to be captured at level 4 | 300 ppi resolution 8 or 16 bit depth RGB colour space Colour or grayscale |
Documents (Unbound): Manuscripts and Other Rare and Special Materials Rare and special materials represent manuscripts, illustrations of special artistic or graphic interest Note: In the Library context manuscripts (such as the papers of prominent Australians) will be considered 'Documents (Unbound): General Collections' except for components of special artistic or graphic interest which will be treated as 'Documents (Unbound): Manuscripts and Other Rare and Special Materials'. | FADGI 4 Rare and special material, including colour critical material should be digitised using photography equipment capable of achieving a highly accurate image | 400 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Adobe 1998 colour space Colour |
Documents (Unbound): General Collections Textual and illustrated materials e.g., evenly printed typeset or laser printed pages, includes visual-arts elements of limited significance | FADGI 3 General collection material should be digitised to a preservation standard but, limited visual-arts elements mean this material does not need to be captured at level 4 | 300 ppi resolution 8 or 16 bit depth RGB colour space Colour |
Oversize Items: Maps, Posters, and Other Materials Maps, Posters, and Other Materials with Challenging Features | FADGI 3 This material should be digitised to a preservation standard but, unless it falls into the category of rare and special material, does not need to be captured at level 4 | 300 ppi resolution 8 or 16 bit depth RGB colour space Colour or grayscale |
| Newspapers - Hardcopy | FADGI 3 Newspapers should be digitised to a preservation standard but, limited visual-arts elements mean this material does not need to be captured at level 4 | 300 ppi resolution 8 bit depth RGB colour space Colour or grayscale |
Prints and Photographs Includes photographic prints, graphic-arts prints (intaglio, lithographs, etc.), drawings, some paintings, (e.g., watercolours), and some maps. | FADGI 4 Prints and photographs have unique and subtle qualities that should be captured as accurately as possible | 600 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Adobe 1998 colour space Colour |
Photographic Transparencies: 35mm to 4"x5" Black-and-white or colour (positive) transparencies that can be captured as a complete image | FADGI 4 Photographic transparencies should be digitised to the highest standard possible to support future (use such as image enlargement for exhibitions) | 4000 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Grey Gamma 2.2 or Adobe 1998 colour space Colour or grayscale |
Photographic Transparencies Larger than 4" x 5" Black-and-white or colour (positive) transparencies that are likely to require post-capture assembly to produce a complete image. | FADGI 4 Photographic transparencies should be digitised to the highest standard possible to support future use (such as image enlargement for exhibitions) | 2000 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Grey Gamma 2.2 or Adobe 1998 colour space Colour or grayscale |
Photographic Negatives: 35mm to 4"x5" Black-and white or colour negatives that can be captured as a complete image. | FADGI 4 Photographic negatives should be digitised to the highest standard possible to support future use (such as production of photographic prints) | 4000 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Grey Gamma 2.2 or Adobe 1998 colour space Colour or grayscale |
Photographic Negatives Larger than 4" x 5" Black-and white or colour negatives that are likely to require post-capture assembly to produce a complete image. | FADGI 4 Photographic negatives should be digitised to the highest standard possible to support future use (such as production of photographic prints) | 2000 ppi resolution 16 bit depth Grey Gamma 2.2 or Adobe 1998 colour space Colour or grayscale |
Paintings and Other Two-Dimensional Art (Other Than Prints) Original art works including oil paintings, water colour | FADGI 4 Paintings and other works of art have unique and subtle qualities that should be captured as accurately as possible | 12,000 Pixels on long dimension 16 bit depth Adobe 1998 colour space Colour |
Printed Matter, Manuscripts, and Other Documents on Microfilm Newspapers on microfilm | FADGI 3 A preservation copy of newspaper on microfilm is required. Note that FADGI quality level 3 specifications are significantly different for this type of material. High resolution is required to account for reduction scale used when microfilm was created. | 4000 ppi resolution 8 bit depth Gray Gamma 2.2 colour space Grayscale |
NB* The resolution given is based on the optical capabilities of the scanning device, not interpolated resolution.