British Library Sound & Vision

Institutional context
Institution type (eg. Library, Archive)	Library & archive
Storage and access
Where are collection masters stored (media, number of copies, backup, preservation system)?	Temporary/working storage: networked Satabeast RAID storage with automated tape backup Final storage: All nodes of the Library's Digital Library System
Where is access to the collection provided from?	Access to master files on temporary/working storage is restricted to staff logins via Library workstations Access to low resolution access copies to the public will be delivered online via British Library Sounds
What technical protocol is used to access files? Local file systems? Windows shares? (SMB/CIFS)	Master files: Windows shares Access files: http
Workflow
Describe your existing content workflow.	Digital audio files created by users on handheld / portable devices, using the AudioBoo app. Users may add descriptive metadata, to be embedded in each file. Audio files uploaded from portable devices to Audioboo at http://audioboo.fm/ Audio files FTP'd to BL servers, in batches, by Audioboo. Catalogue data produced by curator using Excel for later export to Library catalogue. Audio files manually accessed using a combination of Foobar and MediaCoder Audio Edition; technical and ID3 metadata recorded for FLAC, m4a, mp4, 3gpp, amr files in Excel for later recording in Library catalogue entries. Non-valid/unreadable files weeded out manually. Technical metadata and ID3 data for mp3, wma files extracted to csv using mp3tag. csv data merged with Excel data. csv files deleted. Non-valid/unreadable files weeded out manually. Technical metadata and BEXT data extracted from (user-generated) WAV files using Jhove. Jhove data filtered and parsed with Saxon to csv. csv data merged with Excel data. Jhove and csv data deleted. Audio files normalized to WAVE. Technical metadata recorded for normalized wave files and merged in Excel. Normalized audio files renamed with UIDs. md5 checksums generated for normalized / renamed audio files with fsum frontend. Excel data exported to catalogue-ready text files. Catalogue entries created. Normalized audio files and checksums uploaded to DLS. Original audio files deleted.
What tools are part of the existing workflow	Foobar http://www.foobar2000.org/* MediaCoder Audio Edition http://www.mediacoderhq.com/audio/* Jhove http://hul.harvard.edu/jhove/* Saxon http://saxon.sourceforge.net/* mp3tag http://www.maniactools.com/soft/mp3tag/index.shtml* Fsum http://www.slavasoft.com/fsum/* Wavelab http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/wavelab.html* MS Excel http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/
What technologies underly the existing workflow?	Java
What challenges are present in the existing workflow? (technology, organisational, staffing)	Time and complexity
Does the workflow include manual steps?	Yes
Where in this content workflow would the prototype solution be deployed?	To replace steps 5-10
What is the process for changing or enhancing the workflow? What obstacles to change are present?	Written workflow documents and diagrams will require re-writing to incorporate improvements. Python to be installed. xslt to be defined for transforming outputs. No other changes should be necessary.
Actors
Who executes the existing workflow?	Production Co-ordinator, Sound & Vision Technical Services
Who adminsters the existing workflow?	Production Co-ordinator, Sound & Vision Technical Services
What system rights do the workflow executors have? Can they install software? Can they use the web?	Full admin rights
Who is the collection owner or curator? (section/department/team)	British Library Sound & Vision, Unlocking & Integration AV Content
Is there a workflow champion, who is it?	Adam Tovell