CHLAVM-POL-DIG-01 — Digitization Policy (Digitization Process)

Organization: Canadian Hispanic Latin American Virtual Museum (CHLAVM)
Document ID: CHLAVM-POL-DIG-01
Applies to: All analog-to-digital digitization and born-digital ingest or processing activities for CHLAVM assets, including images, documents, audio, video, 360° media, and related supporting files.
Status: Final (v1.0)
Owner (role): Digitization Coordinator
Owner name: TBD
Approvals: Executive Director; Board (if required)
Review cycle: Annually and when significant operational or governance changes occur

  Download this policy as PDF (It opens in a new tab)

1. Purpose

This policy defines the requirements for creating and managing digitized assets within the CHLAVM collections workflow. It ensures that each asset is processed to produce:

• • archival-quality masters suitable for long-term stewardship,
  • and access derivatives optimized for delivery, including web, streaming, and immersive formats.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• • Analog-to-digital conversion activities such as scanning, photography, audiovisual transfer, and 360° video or 3D capture.
  • Born-digital ingest and normalization activities
  • Derivative file generation for publication or access, as well as optimization for platform performance.
  • Quality control (QC) processes and technical metadata capture associated with digitization outputs.

This policy governs only the digitization and processing of outputs. Requirements for descriptive metadata, accessibility, preservation, and publishing are defined in separate policies and procedures.

3. Policy statement

CHLAVM creates and validates digitized assets in accordance with established technical specifications. For each asset, audit-ready documentation is required. This includes master and derivative files, integrity verification through checksums, and quality control records.

For each digitization output, the Live_File_Path, Backup_File_Path, backup confirmation, and checksum must be recorded in CHLAVM’s asset management system. These elements are required to support traceability, integrity verification, and preservation readiness.

4. Definitions

• • Digitization/capture: The process of converting analog materials into digital form through methods such as scanning, photography, audio or video transfer, 360° video capture, or 3D capture.
  • Born-digital ingest: The intake and validation of files originally created in digital form, including any required normalization, packaging, and preparation for long‑term management.
  • Preservation master: The highest‑quality, minimally processed digital file designated for long‑term retention, preservation, and institutional stewardship.
  • Access derivative: A file created from the preservation master and optimized for access or delivery, including web display, streaming, or immersive formats.
  • Normalization: The process of converting files into approved formats and applying standardized naming conventions to ensure consistency, usability, and long‑term accessibility across all systems.
  • Quality control (QC): Technical checks conducted during or after digitization to ensure outputs meet defined standards and are functional and complete.
  • Fixity check/checksum: A verification process that confirms the integrity and authenticity of a digital file by comparing its current checksum to a previously recorded value (e.g., SHA‑256).
  • Digitization outputs package: The complete set of files and documentation generated during the digitization of an item, including master files, derivative files, logs or notes, and any required supporting documentation.

5. Requirements

5.1 Analog-to-digital digitization (capture)

• • • Prepare items for capture and document any handling constraints, including fragile conditions and restrictions.
    • Ensure that the capture process produces a preservation master that meets CHLAVM’s specifications for the asset type.
    • Document the capture environment and equipment, including the device or tool used, along with settings or notes sufficient to reproduce the process if required.

5.2 Born-digital ingest and normalization

• • • Validate incoming born-digital files at ingest to confirm acceptable formats and basic integrity.
    • When normalization is required for compatibility, preservation, or delivery, document the action taken along with the justification.
    • Generate and record fixity values (checksums) at ingest. Verify and document fixity after any transfer or significant processing step.

5.3 Derivatives and access versions

1. • Generate access derivatives appropriate for the intended use, such as web display, streaming delivery, or 360° video.
   • Ensure derivatives are optimized for the delivery platform and meet minimum standards for interpretive and access fidelity.
   • Retain all source files and packages required for future editing or export, including raw captures, project files, working files, and uncompressed masters. Record the source package location in the asset record and preserve it with the final deliverables.

5.4 Quality control and technical metadata

1. • Perform quality control (QC) on master and derivative files to verify that each file opens, plays, or renders as intended, matches the required duration, resolution, and format, and fulfills all delivery specifications.
   • Record technical metadata and quality control (QC) results in the asset record. Required fields include format, file size, resolution, duration, codec or frame rate as applicable, and quality control status and issue notes.

6. Roles and responsibilities

• • Collections Manager: Establishes digitization priorities and ensures all activities align with CHLAVM collection objectives and governance standards.
  • Digitization Coordinator: Plans and carries out digitization activities, applies approved methods for each asset type, documents all capture and processing steps, and ensures retention of deliverables and source packages.
  • Digital Asset Manager: Records all required technical metadata, storage locations, and checksum values in CHLAVM’s asset management system, and ensures each entry is accurately linked to the corresponding asset record.
  • Quality Assurance Reviewer: Confirms that master and derivative files function as intended, reviews quality control logs, and verifies that all identified issues have been addressed.
  • Executive Director: Confirms digitization priorities and approves exceptions or significant changes in accordance with governance requirements.

7. Records and required outputs

For each digitized or processed asset, maintain the following records and outputs:

1. • Master files and access derivatives, each with standardized naming conventions and storage references.
   • Fixity or checksum values, including the date of generation or verification.
   • Quality control records or logs documenting pass/fail status, identified issues, and any remediation actions completed.
   • Capture or processing notes detailing environment, equipment, settings, and any relevant constraints.
   • Completed technical metadata fields in the CHLAVM’s asset management system.
   • Source files or source package references, with storage path or link and a brief description of contents, such as raw capture sets, project files, working folders, or ZIP bundles.

8. Acceptance criteria (pass/fail)

Digitization is complete when all of the following are met:

• Master and derivative outputs exist and are linked to the correct asset record in the CHLAVM’s asset management system.
• Fixity values are recorded and verified, with checksums matching after transfer or processing.
• Quality control is complete, and the quality control record or log is attached or referenced in the asset documentation.
• Derivatives render correctly in the intended environment and meet delivery requirements.
• All handling constraints and capture or processing notes are recorded.