For project media description, catalogers adopted widely used data standards. At the collection level, there are archival finding aids following Describing Archives a Content Standard (DACS). Individual reels are described using the PBCore data structure. The project uses PBCore version 1.3; PBCore version 2.0 was released in early 2011.
Northeast Historic Film uses Web-enabled free and open source software, CollectiveAccess, to create the descriptive records using a profile designed for describing moving images. NHF's CollectiveAccess cataloging manual is available here:
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On this page, we have rounded up key resources for further exploring the data standards used in the project and other issues related to media cataloging.
Describing Archives: A Content Standard supports exchange of information on archival collections, recognizing that materials created and gathered by a person, family or organization are intentionally and consciously assembled for some purpose (DACS viii.) Providing information about the provenance, or context, of amateur film collections helps researchers exploring their cultural history.
For more information on DACS and Encoded Archival Description
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media, created for the description of analog and digital objects to support exchange of information. PBCore development (launched in 2005) was funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting based on Dublin Core, for use with audiovisual media and with the input of community members in a range of institutions, including and well beyond broadcast.