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Recommended Formats Statement


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Main | Table of Contents | Introduction | Summary of Digital Format Preferences | Textual Works | Still Image Works | Moving Image Works | Audio Works | Musical Scores | Datasets | GIS, Geospatial and Non-GIS Cartographic | Design and 3D | Software and Video Games | Web Archives | Email

II. Still Image Works

i. Photographs - Print
i. Photographs - Print
  Preferred Acceptable
A. Faithful representation of the work

Equal in quality to the publication version, best edition or master copy

 
B. Permanence and appearance
  • Unmounted
  • Pigmented inks (if digitally printed)
  • Fixed, well-washed (if wet chemistry method)
 
C. Size
  • Min: 8 x10"
  • Max: 28 x36"

Larger sizes may be acceptable if best or only version.

D. Metadata
  1. As supported by format:
    1. Title
    2. Creator
    3. Creation Date
    4. Place of publication
    5. Publisher/producer/distributor
    6. Contact information
  2. Include if available:
    1. Language of work
    2. Other relevant identifiers (e.g., DOI, LCCN, etc.)
    3. Subject descriptors
    4. Abstracts
    5. Key or reference to each data field and technical production information (type of paper, how processed, publisher internal tracking numbers)
 

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ii. Photographs - Digital
ii. Photographs - Digital
  Preferred Acceptable
A. Faithful representation of the work
  • Equal in quality to the published version, best edition or master copy
  • In the same format as the master copy
B. Technical Characteristics
  • Highest resolution available, not rescaled or interpolated
  • Highest bit depth available, 16 bits per channel if available
  • Embedded color profile or specified color space used in published version
  • Uncompressed
  • Unlayered
  • Lossless compression or lower compression ratios
  • Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) preferred to discrete cosine transform (DCT)
  • Layered, if supported by preferred or acceptable format
C. Formats
  • TIFF (*.tif)
  • JPEG2000 (*.jp2)
  • PNG (*.png)
  • JPEG/JFIF (*.jpg)
  • Photoshop (*.psd)
  • JPEG2000 Part 2 (*.jpf, *.jpx)
  • Digital Negative DNG (*.dng)
  • Proprietary Camera Raw formats (*.nef, *.crw)
  • GIF (*.gif)
D. Metadata
  1. As supported by format:
    1. Title
    2. Creator
    3. Creation Date
    4. Place of publication
    5. Publisher/producer/distributor
    6. Contact information
  2. Include if available:
    1. Common embedded schema (e.g., IPTC)
    2. Language of work
    3. Other relevant identifiers (e.g., DOI, LCCN, etc.)
    4. Subject descriptors
    5. Abstracts
    6. Key or reference to each data field and technical production information (e.g. EXIF metadata from digital camera

Metadata provided separately in external text of XML-based file

E. Technological Measures

Files must contain no measures (such as digital rights management technologies or encryption) that control access to or prevent use of the digital work.

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iii. Other Graphics Images - Print (e.g., posters, postcards, fine prints)
NOTE: See also Geospatial Cartographic and Design and 3D
iii. Other Graphics Images - Print (posters, architectural drawings, postcards, fine prints)
  Preferred Acceptable
A. Faithful representation of the work

Equal in quality to the published version, best edition or master copy

 
B. Permanence and appearance
  • Packaging materials equivalent to published form (e.g., binding, box/packaging materials)
  • If multiple versions available, provide the most widely distributed edition.
  • If limited edition, provide an unnumbered but otherwise identical copy.
  • For large items, provide rolled, unfolded.
 
C. Related Materials
  • Includes indexes, study guides or other matter if available
  • Also includes annotations, accompanying tabular or textual matter or other interpretive aids
 
D. Metadata
  1. As supported by format:
    1. Title
    2. Creator
    3. Creation Date
    4. Place of publication
    5. Publisher/producer/distributor
    6. Contact information
  2. Include if available:
    1. Language of work
    2. Other relevant identifiers (e.g., DOI, LCCN, etc.)
    3. Subject descriptors
    4. Abstracts
    5. Key or reference to each data field and technical production information (type of paper, how processed, publisher internal tracking numbers)
 

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iv. Other Graphic Images - Digital
NOTE: See also Geospatial Cartographic and Design and 3D
iv. Other Graphic Images - Digital
  Preferred Acceptable
A. Faithful representation of the work
  • Equal in quality to the published version, best edition or master copy
  • In the same format as the master copy
 
B. Technical Characteristics
  • Highest resolution available, not rescaled or interpolated
  • Highest bit depth available, 16 bits per channel if available
  • Specified color space used in published version
  • Uncompressed
  • Unlayered
  • Lower compression ratios
  • Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) preferred to discrete cosine transform (DCT)
  • Layered, if supported by preferred or acceptable format
C. Formats (raster)
  • TIFF (*.tif)
  • JPEG2000 (*.jp2)
  • PNG (*.png)
  • JPEG/JFIF (*.jpg)
  • Photoshop (*.psd)
  • JPEG2000 Part 2 (*.jpf, *.jpx)
  • MrSID (*.sid)
  • Encapsulated Postscript (*.eps)
  • Digital Negative DNG (*.dng)
  • Proprietary Camera Raw formats (*.nef, *.crw)
  • GIF (*.gif)
D. Formats (vector)

Scalable vector graphics (*.svg)

  • Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM, WebCGM)
  • Page-layout formats, e.g. PDF/UA (ISO 14289-1-compliant), PDF/A (ISO 19005-compliant), PDF (highest quality available, with features such as searchable text, embedded fonts, lossless compression, high resolution images; includes document formats such as PDF/X)
  • Encapsulated Postscript (*.eps)
E. Related Materials
  • Includes indexes, study guides or other matter if available
  • Also includes annotations, accompanying tabular or textual matter or other interpretive aids
 
F. Metadata
  1. As supported by format:
    1. Title
    2. Creator
    3. Creation Date
    4. Place of publication
    5. Publisher/producer/distributor
    6. Contact information
  2. Include if available:
    1. Common embedded schema
    2. Language of work
    3. Other relevant identifiers (e.g., DOI, LCCN, etc.)
    4. Subject descriptors
    5. Abstracts
    6. Key or reference to each data field and technical production information (type of paper, how processed, publisher internal tracking numbers)

Metadata provided separately in external text or XML-based file

G. Technological Measures

Files must contain no measures (such as digital rights management technologies or encryption) that control access to or prevent use of the digital work.

 

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v. Microforms
v. Microforms
  Preferred Acceptable
A. Faithful representation of the work

Equal in quality to the published version, best edition or master copy

 
B. Permanence and appearance
  • Silver halide
  • Positive polarity
  • Color (when available)
  • Polyester film base
 
C. Formats (newspapers and newspaper-formatted serials)

Roll microfilm

 
D. Formats (all other materials), in order of preference
  1. Microfiche
  2. Roll microfilm
  3. Microfilm cassettes
  4. Micro-opaque prints
 
E. Size

35mm, if roll film

16mm film and other sizes that match the primary production master

F. Related Materials

Include indexes, study guides or other printed matter if available

 
G. Metadata
  1. As supported by format:
    1. Title
    2. Creator
    3. Creation Date
    4. Place of publication
    5. Publisher/producer/distributor
    6. Contact information
  2. Include if available:
    1. Language of work
    2. Other relevant identifiers (e.g., DOI, LCCN, etc.)
    3. Subject descriptors
    4. Abstracts
    5. Key or reference to each data field and technical production information (type of paper, how processed, publisher internal tracking numbers)
 

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