[jats-list] 2015 Feedback Request for Library of Congress Recommended Format Specifications

["Bausenbach, Ardie abau@xxxxxxx" <jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Library of Congress is actively soliciting feedback on its Recommended
Format Specifications (http://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/rfs) for the
next update, which will be issued this summer.  The Recommended Format
Specifications describe the hierarchies of the physical and technical
characteristics of creative formats, both analog and digital, which will best
maximize the chances for preservation and continued accessibility of creative
content.  Creators and publishers have also begun to employ a wide array of
intangible digital formats, as well as continuing to change and adapt the
physical formats in which they work.  The Library needs to be able to identify
the formats which are suitable for large-scale acquisition and preservation
for long-term access if it is to continue to build its collection and ensure
that it lasts into the future.

The Specifications are organized into six basic categories of creative
output:
   *   Textual Works and Musical Compositions
   *   Still Image Works
   *   Audio Works
   *   Moving Image Works
   *   Software and Electronic Gaming
   *   Learning and Datasets/Databases

These categories represent significant parts of the publishing, information,
and media industries, especially those that are rapidly adopting digital
production and are central to building the Library's collections. Technical
teams were formed with experts from across the institution bringing
specialized knowledge in technical aspects of preservation, ongoing access
needs and developments in the marketplace and in the publishing world. These
teams were established to identify recommended formats for each of these
categories and to establish hierarchies of preference among the formats within
them.

To ensure that the Specifications accomplish all this, they need to be kept in
sync with changes in the development of creative works.  To this end, the
Library will be performing an annual review and revision of the Specifications
between April and June every year.

Already the Library has identified improvements which will make the
Specifications better and more useful, such as further refinement of the
recommended metadata, and investigation of database archiving products and
reordering some of the Still Image formats.  But in order to make the
Specifications as useful as possible for the Library and for all stakeholders,
the Library is actively seeking any and all feedback, comments, thoughts and
input which others may have on the Specifications.

The Library of Congress looks forward to receiving such input by March 31,
2015.  Input can be sent to the Library through one of the e-mail contacts
listed on the Recommended Format Specifications website or through the e-mail
listed below.

For more information, please contact Ted Westervelt [thwe@xxxxxxx].


(Please excuse cross-posting)

Ardie Bausenbach
Library of Congress
ILS Program Office
abau@xxxxxxx