This CD-ROM is about the digital documents produced as a result of digitization of
image, sound, or motion pictures in order to provide access to unique materials and to
ensure appropriate storage of digital data. These new documents are very complex. In spite
of the fact that the main interest of users is in corresponding graphic, sound, or video
files, the digital documents should contain also other data about themselves; therefore,
they are called compound documents.
This CD-ROM has been published to share our know-how and our software products concerning:
- SGML - based storage of compound documents
- access to compound documents
- creation of descriptive metadata
The work is based on our participation in the UNESCO Memory of the World programme which was launched in 1992-1993 to safeguard the world documentary heritage. To safeguard the heritage makes sense only in case of providing open access to it. Here the digital technology can be used with success.
For this UNESCO programme, we published two pilot CD-ROMs: in 1993 (the first one within the whole programme) and in 1995 (publications of entire digitized manuscripts). We are involved in the work of its International Advisory Committee as well as in that of its Sub-Committee on Technology.
The Sub-Committee on Technology declared the interest in open and archivally reliable access to new digital products, which should be an HTML-based one. The storage of data is under discussion, but it is sure that it should done on the SGML platform. From here our proposal for the SGML-based storage of compound digital documents comes.
The research and technology development work is enabled now by a grant of the Czech Ministry of Culture for the years 1997-1998. The main idea is to centre the work around the conception of digital archives where the created digital documents are stored. The digital archives have an information system which is accessible on Internet. This system will be completed by the information system about the originals themselves.
Our digitization programme is a joint programme of the National Library of the Czech Republic in Prague and the Albertina icome Praha Comp. Ltd., Prague.
The two partners are running the Digitization Centre located in the National Library. They see the future of their activities in close cooperation with UNESCO Memory of the World programme. Their digitization programme concerns not only manuscripts and old printed books of Czech provenance, but all the rare documents from all over the world which are parts of the world documentary heritage. The digitization of rare sound recordings is also a component part of our programme. The proposed structuring rules can be applied to any type of compound documents or their collections.
The programme running in the National Library is called MEMORIAE MUNDI SERIES BOHEMICA and concerns the documents from Czech libraries and archives.
This CD-ROM describes the necessary structures for storage of digital documents and provides the interested user with several software tools for the creation of the structure and for the work with the compound document.
This CD-ROM brings the definition and explanation of the general structuring rules as well as their concrete applications to certain types of documents. There is also practical advice how to describe the old manuscript with the help of our supporting program products.
Even those willing only to see or listen to interesting documents will find here interesting things.
