Preservation Action Plan - Journals #

Introduction #

This document describes the preservation plan for journal content in the Scholars Portal repository. Most of the journal content consists of article-length pieces published in scholarly journals. The preservation plan for journal content follows from policies and practices described in the Preservation Strategic Plan and the Preservation Implementation Plan. This document explains practical steps that Scholars Portal takes to preserve the intellectual content of journal articles in digital format. It outlines the basic tools, methods, and standards used for the long-term preservation of journal content.

Content Formats #

For the preservation of journal content, Scholars Portal requires PDF versions of the content or publisher-supplied XML or SGML (in a format agreed upon between SP and the publisher) containing descriptive metadata and full-text content. PDF and XML/SGML conform with Scholars Portal’s criteria for preferred formats outlined in the Preservation Implementation Plan. Some journal content includes supplementary image files, audio or video files, or data files in various digital formats. Scholars Portal accepts a wide range of well-known, commonly used formats, but cannot necessarily commit to the ‘full’ preservation level for formats that do not meet the repository’s criteria for preferred formats. These objects will still be maintained at the ‘bit-level’ preservation level. Scholars Portal continuously monitors developments in file formats to determine if and when formats require migration (see Environmental Monitoring of Preservation Formats).

SIP Formats #

Scholars Portal works with content providers to determine and define the format and composition of each SIP before publishers submit content (see Definition of SIP).

Analysis on Ingest #

Upon ingest, every file in the repository is subject to identification of its file format using and validation of that format. During the process of file format identification, a file format name and version is associated with each file, and, where possible, the file is linked to the format’s entry in PRONOM, the National Archives of the United Kingdom’s format registry. The outputs of these processes are recorded in the preservation metadata for each file.

Content Excluded #

Scholars Portal does not ingest files that are not referenced (either as part of a representation or as supplementary material) in the associated metadata. As the SIP is retained, these files can later be ingested if necessary.

Format Normalization #

Upon ingest, the publisher’s XML/SGML is converted to a Scholars Portal version of JATS NLM XML. Where possible and when desirable, files that do not conform to Scholars Portal’s preferred formats will be converted to preferred formats.

Metadata Normalization #

When necessary, Scholars Portal crosswalks metadata from the publisher’s XML/SGML to a Scholars Portal version of JATS NLM XML. The repository creates preservation metadata for each file. The preservation level, explained in the Preservation Implementation Plan, is applied to each file upon ingest and recorded in the preservation metadata for each file.

Acceptable Formats #

For the Full Preservation level for journal articles, currently acceptable formats include PDF and XML. XML articles may have diagrams in GIF, JPG, TIFF, or PNG format. Articles not in these formats (or those unable to be converted to these formats) may still be preserved at the Bit-level Preservation level.

Supplementary materials will be accepted in any format, and preserved at the Bit-level preservation level.

Review Cycle #

Regular