Understanding Digital Format Sustainability for the Library of Congress

The text discusses the sustainability of digital formats, focusing on the definition of formats, relationships between formats, factors to consider when evaluating digital formats, and the framework for decision-making. It explains the importance of format sustainability factors, quality and functionality factors, and the policy implications for the Library of Congress in acquiring digital content. The text also covers the project scope, preferred and non-preferred formats, and the distinction between media-independent and media-dependent digital content.

• Formats are defined as packages of information stored as data files or sent via network as data streams, encompassing file formats, internet media types, versions, refinements, bitstream encodings, wrappers, and related formats.
• Relationships between formats are crucial for identification and usage, requiring documentation of relationships and versioning.
• Sustainability factors such as disclosure, adoption, transparency, self-documentation, external dependencies, impact of patents, and technical protection mechanisms influence the feasibility and cost of preserving digital content.
• Quality and functionality factors vary for different content types like still images, sound, text, and moving images, affecting the format's ability to represent significant characteristics.
• The decision-making framework involves policy implications, acquisition modes, preferred and non-preferred formats, and the importance of holding multiple versions of a work.
• The project scope is to support the listing of preferred and acceptable digital formats for the Library of Congress, with an annual update plan, while also providing information about non-preferred formats.
• The text excludes media-dependent formats, focusing on media-independent digital content stored as data files or data streams.