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DIGITAL PRESERVATION OF
MULTIMEDIA
PRESENTATIONS
Abstract
Individuals are amassing vast stores of digital content, which they struggle to preserve. This
paper will focus on preserving born-digital multimedia presentations. We will highlight areas
where individuals struggle with effectively utilizing recommended procedures and processes for
digital preservation. We will also review some tools that may be beneficial for digitally preserving
multimedia presentations.
Aubrey Maynard and Roxanne Brazell, MLIS Graduate Students,
Wayne State University
ew9420@wayne.edu and aa5929@wayne.edu
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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Introduction
In the past, files created about individuals were maintained and preserved by the
collecting institutions. Now, individuals are the ones creating the records. Their born-digital
content is being created at an increasing rate. The demands of preserving this content fall
to the individual and not a collecting institution. The most complex files individuals create
involve a multimedia component. Individuals struggle with digital preservation of their files
for a variety of reasons. This paper will highlight areas where individuals struggle with
effectively utilizing recommended procedures and processes of digital preservation and
review some tools that may benefit them in digitally preserving multimedia presentations.
The explosive growth of Web 2.0 offers us avenues to create personal born-digital
multimedia collections from professional introductions to class presentations. These files
can be cumbersome to manage overtime as they are relatively larger than still images and
require more storage space in comparison. Based on one of the author’s digital collections,
a dozen still images in .jpeg format ranging in size from 4 to 43 KB and document file with a
size of 122 KB, is small in comparison to a multimedia presentation that includes text and
still images in a PowerPoint format that utilizes 2 MB. If narration based presentations are
considered, and those that contain short video clips, then the file size increases to 13.6 MB
or more. This will vary based on the image, video resolution, and the number of audio files
that are used in a multimedia presentation. This comparison illustrates that multimedia
presentations create a larger footprint on a user’s device and a large collection of
presentations will increasingly reduce the available hardware storage on a user’s local
devices.
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
Challenges to Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
Challenges to preservation include:
 Quantity
o The sheer volume of files created by individuals can quickly become
overwhelming to manage.
 Security
o Do files contain personal or proprietary information?
o Have the files been tampered with or damaged by viruses or other forms of
malware?
o Can the individual control who has access to the file?
 Value
o Does the file have long-term value?
o Can the value of the file change over time? Some items may be extremely
valuable (i.e. the multimedia presentation for a client or final project) in the
beginning and have less value as time progresses. Or it may increase in
value over time if the individual uses the multimedia presentation as part of a
portfolio, a learning tool, or has a personal connection to the topic covered in
the presentation.
o “[C]ontext makes it easier to distinguish between items that are valuable and
items that have accumulated (Marshall Part 1, 2007).” A prime example of
this is an individual’s email messages. When in-boxes become cluttered with
messages that were not deleted or even read by the individual. Context
involves the individual’s knowledge of the sender. It allows the individual to
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decide whether the sender’s messages may still have value and should be
reviewed and retained or deleted.
 Technological Skills
o What skills are required to set up the digital preservation plan?
o Does the individual have the skills to maintain the digital preservation plan? If
not, are they willing to acquire them? Or do they know someone who will
perform the tasks for them? (Marshall Part 1, 2007; Marshall, Bly, & BrunCottan, 2006)
 Organization
o Is there a directory folder structure organized for the records that are being
digitally preserved?

Is it applied consistently?

Would it make sense to someone else if they were using it?
 Storage
o How much space is required to store the files?
o What hardware is being used?
o How much does the storage solution cost? Typically the more storage space
that is required, the greater the financial cost to the individual.
o Current individual practice is to store files across a variety of social media
sites, often sharing only subsets of digital collections in any one location.
“Digital belongings are ultimately stored according to what people are
planning to do with them and exigencies of the moment (Marshall Part 1,
2007).”
o Is the individual comfortable with the level of security, terms of use, or
available service agreements provided by a given storage option? Any of
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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these factors can play a role in why an individual may choose a particular
option over another or use multiple storage options for the same digital item
(Marshall Part 2, 2007)
 Time
o Does the individual have time to set up and maintain a digital preservation
plan?
o How long will it take to back up, authenticate, and reformat files?

Will they do this on a regular basis?
 Obsolescence
o With exponential advances in hardware and software, file formats that were
previously common become obsolete. The hardware and software used to
create the file will eventually cease to function or become incompatible.
Alternate sources for accessing the file must be found. Oftentimes, individuals
accept the loss of a file and move on.
o Are there components associated with the multimedia presentation that also
need to be digitally preserved? If there are and these other files are not also
preserved, the user runs the risk of being unable to accurately render the
multimedia presentation.
Recommended practices
Personal Archiving – Library of Congress
The Library of Congress offers best practices on personal archiving that lends itself
to the preservation of born digital multimedia presentations. A user will want to locate all of
their digital presentations across all of their computing devices, including “removable media,
CDs”, flash drives, and website files (Library of Congress, n.d.). Next the users should
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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consider the long-term value of a multimedia presentation when deciding which files will be
archived. Will users want to add drafts and final versions of presentations, so they have a
comprehensive archive of their multimedia collections? Or will they decide to use final
versions only? The Library of Congress’ Preserving Your Digital Memories also indicates
that users will want to give thought to the organization structure for archiving their resources
(n.d.). Users will want to create descriptive file names for multimedia presentations. Users
will find that developing a file folder structure that is logical to them will support their
preservation efforts (Library of Congress, n.d.). The creation of a Finding Aid or a list of the
files stored in the archive will also help users easily locate and retrieve files. The Finding Aid
should be kept in a secure location that is accessible to the user.
Users will also want to consider the video and audio components of their multimedia
presentations. It is a good idea for users to preserve the audio and video elements of the
multimedia presentation separately, if possible. Users must decide if the audio and video
components will be preserved as separate files only or if the files will be save within the final
multimedia presentation. Preserving the original audio and video files that were created
outside of the presentation will reduce the file size; but archiving these components within
the final presentation may put the file at greater risk of data loss if it is damaged. Choosing
to preserve these files in addition to the completed multimedia presentation increases the
amount of storage space required.
To decrease the likelihood that a majority of the users multimedia presentations will
suffer from loss of data and formatting issues two or more copies should be managed in
different geographical locations and on separate devices (Library of Congress, n.d). With
these Library of Congress digital preservation measures in place, a user can manage the
digital preservation of their resources by annually checking their files for accessibility and
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readability (n.d.). Digital preservation of multimedia presentations will require that new
copies of the files or media is created every five years to avoid data loss, obsolescence and
interoperability issues (Library of Congress, n.d.) The Library of Congress preservation
practices that have been discussed are a long-term management solution for the personal
archiving of multimedia presentations.
LOCKSS
The Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe (LOCKSS) is an open-source repository
established by libraries to preserve their subscription purchased digital content and provide
access to their users long-term (n.d.). This shared repository has a secure site and relies on
a network of collaborators in the library community. The open-framework, secure site, and
shared network of LOCKSS establishes it as a reliable archiving platform (n.d.). It is less
expensive to preserve digital resources in an open-source shared repository, than a
proprietary platform (LOCKSS, n.d.). As a result, having little financial constraints in
preserving digital content allows for the archiving of a larger selection of resources longterm (LOCKSS, n.d.).
Current Options - Tools Available for Use
Cloud Storage
DropBox and Box
The Library of Congress Personal Archiving recommendations and the LOCKSS
framework are both advantageous to the preservation of multimedia presentations. Dropbox
and Box are cloud storage application services that share the features of LOCKSS. These
cloud storage sites offer an open-source environment and they have a large shared network
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of individual and business users. This creates a reliable cloud computing service for
personal archiving (Breeding, 2013). The Box and Dropbox websites indicate that they offer
users free online storage (n.d.). A user may opt for additional storage space through either
cloud storage service site for a low fee on both platforms (Box, n.d.; Dropbox, n.d.).
Because there is a low fee many users will seek to preserve all of their files. Over time this
will become a challenge and users will run out of cloud storage space. This is why it is
important to create a personal archiving plan for preserving multimedia presentations,
because the files are relatively large and will reduce archiving space faster than image and
document files. As a result, financial constraints are a consideration in what a user will
ultimately decide has long-term value (Library of Congress, n.d.).
The security measures of cloud storage and web archiving platforms should also be
a factor in determining, which service provider is suitable for the personally archiving of a
user's multimedia collection (Breeding, 2013). Dropbox and Box state the encryption
security level that they provide on their respective sites (n.d.). These cloud-computing
services offer a very high level of protection for a user’s personal archive (Breeding, 2013).
Users will also want to consider the terms of agreement and privacy policies when choosing
a cloud storage platform. Before opening a cloud storage or web archiving account, it is
recommended that users review the features and the terms of agreement, including their
privacy policies to decide if the service provider terms are amenable to their use (Breeding,
2013). The use of a service for free is offered “as is” and does not guarantee features, such
as automated backup or recovery of data loss (Breeding, 2013). This is why it is important
for users to back up their data in different geographic locations on multiple cloud storage
platforms and keep a copy of critical multimedia files on local devices, as well (Library of
Congress, n.d.; Breeding, 2013).
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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Dropbox and Box provide a simple interface to view archived digital resources or
files in an alphabetically ordered list. Multimedia presentations can be easily added to either
cloud storage platform by setting up an individual user account. Once the account is setup a
user can immediately start archiving their multimedia presentations. But again, it is
important that users consider the Library of Congress Personal Archiving recommendations,
because planning will help the user decide what they want to preserve long-term (n.d.).
Archiving multimedia presentations on a whim or when put on the spot without pre-planning
can be counterproductive to the user. For example, if the user reaches their free online
storage limit then they will either need to purchase additional storage, possibly move files
out of their cloud storage, or resort to deleting some archived files that they previously
deemed valuable for long-term use. Pre-planning can help the user avoid or limit these
unexpected actions.
Email Application Cloud Storage (i.e. Google Drive or OneDrive)
Individuals often treat email cloud storage as an archiving solution; choosing to store
files for easy collaboration and access over multiple devices. However, email application
cloud storage is not designed as a long-term archival solution. The benefits of email
application cloud storage include the user’s tendency to be familiar with the application; it is
easily accessible; it supports a variety of common file formats; and is easy to use.
Complications as an archival solution include limited free storage space, not all file formats
utilized by an individual may be supported, security requirements may not be stringent
enough, the user is dependent on the service provider’s maintenance of servers, and the
user must update, backup, and authenticate files over time to protect against loss and
obsolescence. The individual must be aware of the service provider’s terms of use and
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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service agreements. These may impact what the individual can store and who can access it
at a later date.
Website
Omeka.net
Omeka is another tool that can be used for personal archiving of multimedia
presentations. It is an online content management system used for web publishing that
complements the visual nature of multimedia presentations (Omeka, 2014). Librarians,
archivists, educators, and enthusiasts use this open-source platform to display library
exhibitions, display documents and create digital archives just to name a few uses. Omeka
is free to join. They provide limited free storage space and tools, with more features
available for a monthly subscription. A variety of file formats are supported. The user acting
as the administrator of the account is able to set user levels and permissions. There are
user forums to gain ideas and help with common issues. Multimedia presentations can be
added once metadata descriptions in Dublin Core have been completed. They provide
templates and forms for inputting metadata and suggest utilizing finding aids. Omeka
recommends using standard language and terms to describe items. Items can then be
sorted and displayed by collection.
The user is dependent on Omeka.net for continued server maintenance. The user
will need to update, backup, and authenticate files over time. As information professionals,
we are familiar with metadata description and have some experience describing items with
Dublin Core. The average individual will not have this experience and may be put off by the
learning curve to utilize this tool effectively. They may choose to use other social networking
sites that require less time and fewer skills for describing their items.
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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Ourmedia
Ourmedia is an initiative begun in 2004 by the Internet Archive, Creative Commons,
Broadband Mechanics, and Bryght, to create and share open source works of personal
media. (Download & Streaming..., n.d.) The Internet Archive hosts the open source content
submitted to Ourmedia. If users choose Ourmedia, they can see what files will be made
from the file they submit and receive instructions on submitting various content, including
multimedia presentations. The user must decide whether they are comfortable with making
content public. If so, they can choose to utilize Creative Commons Licensing Terms to
identify acceptable use of the item. In this way they are able to maintain some control over
the uses that the original file contents are assigned by other individuals. They also have the
option of removing content at any time by submitting an email from the original email
address used to submit the content. (Internet Archive Frequently Asked Questions, n.d.)
Ourmedia supports the site with answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and user
forums.
Conclusion
Individuals have very few options available to them for the digital preservation of
their multimedia presentations. It currently requires a significant investment of time, training,
and money to achieve successful digital preservation methods. As individuals create,
acquire, and store increasing amounts of digital records, including multimedia
presentations, they will seek out tools to aid them in preserving records that have been
identified as valuable. Currently individuals must apply library concepts and principles and
Digital Preservation of Multimedia Presentations
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learn information skills to actively manage the preservation of multimedia collections. Due to
the limited number of relevant tools, this is an area open for increased development.
References
About Omeka Project. (2014). Omeka.org. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from
https://omeka.org/about/
Box.com (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2014, from https://www.box.com/personal/
Breeding, M. (2013). Digital Archiving in the Age of Cloud Computing. Computers In
Libraries, 33(2), 22-26.
Download & Streaming: Ourmedia. Internet Archive. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2014, from
https://archive.org/details/ourmedia
Dropbox. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2014, from https://www.dropbox.com/pricing
Internet Archive Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2014, from
https://archive.org/about/faqs.php
Keeping Personal Digital Memories. (n.d.). Library of Congress. Retrieved March 24, 2014,
from http://digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/records.html
Marshall, C.; Bly, S.; & Brun-Cottan, F. (2006) The Long Term Fate of our Digital
Belongings: Toward a Service Model for Personal Archives. Archiving Conference,
Archiving 2006 Final Program and Proceedings. Society for Imaging Science and
Technology. pp. 25-30 (6)
Marshall, C. (March/April 2008) Rethinking Personal Digital Archiving, Part 1 Four
Challenges from the Field. D-Lib Magazine. 14(3/4) Retrieved February 12, 2014,
from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/march08/marshall/03marshall-pt1.html
Marshall, C. (March/April 2008) Rethinking Personal Digital Archiving Part 2 Implications for
Services, Applications, and Institutions. D-Lib Magazine. 14(3/4) Retrieved February
12, 2014, from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/march08/marshall/03marshall-pt2.html
Park, E., & Oh, S. (2012). Examining Attributes of Open Standard File Formats for Longterm Preservation and Open Access. Information Technology & Libraries, 31(4), 4465.
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Personal Digital Records – Personal Archiving | Digital Preservation – Library of Congress.
(n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2014, from
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/records.html
What is LOCKSS? (n.d.). Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe. Stanford University. Retrieved
March 24, 2014 from http://www.lockss.org/about/principles/#local-custody