Metadata standards as a technological resource to guarantee digital preservation

Abstract

The guarantee of long-term digital preservation will only be possible with the effective implementation of metadata standards or schemas, because these will determine the description, representation, consistency and persistence of the digital resource/object in information environments, as well as defining interoperability between systems. The adoption of metadata for preservation supports the management of processes for the archiving and maintenance of access to digital information in the long term, guaranteeing authenticity, integrity and reliability. In this scenario, the aim of this study was to identify and describe metadata standards or schemas that could be considered by institutions that are developing their institutional repositories, so that digital preservation might be addressed. To that end, a literature review, and its systematization and content analysis were carried out. The following metadata standards and schemas were selected and analyzed: DUBLIN CORE (DC), MODS, EAD, ANSI/NISO Z39.87, METS and PREMIS. The results indicate that the descriptive and technical metadata DC, MODS, EAD and ANSI/NISO Z39.87 or MIX have a role that is more directed to supporting METS and PREMIS, both in discovering and recording the technical aspects of digital objects, and in the proof of its provenance, authenticity, context and integrity. Encompassing descriptive, structural, administrative and preservation metadata of PREMIS, METS can manage digital objects acting as a Submission Information Package (SIP), Archival Information Package (AIP) or Dissemination Information Package (DIP) in an Open Archival Information System (OAIS).