The Obsolete Physical Carriers (OPC) directory is a tool for NSLA libraries to use when looking at digitising analogue content and preserving digital files from obsolete physical carriers. The directory should be used as a guide when making decisions about which providers to use, what resolution to scan to, file formats and processes to follow.
Note: The directory states the best practice standard or community practice for each format at this point in time (December 2017). These are to be considered as recommendations, and may change over time.
The directory presents the following information:
- a snapshot of NSLA Library holdings of each format (excluding NLNZ) and what has been
- digitised
- obsolescence rating – categorises the ease with which a range of formats can be read in terms of the availability of the playback equipment
- media stability – a rating that aims to categorise the relative stability of a range of formats. The rating considers how long different media may last before becoming unreadable.
- organisations with experience and capability for particular formats
- commercial providers with experience and capability for digitising audio-visual collections and preserving digital files from obsolete digital carriers
- standards and community practise for digital preservation.
