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Term: Metadata, source

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Term: Metadata, source

Definition:
Metadata that documents the technical features of the item that has been reformatted (from analog) or transcoded (from digital). This category is called source metadata (<sourcemd>) in METS, where it is classified as a subtype of administrative metadata. For a photographic negative, source metadata might include the dimensions of the original and its minimum and maximum density. For an analog-tape sound recording, source metadata might include the type and thickness of the tape stock, the track configuration, and the playback speed. For a digital item that is being transcoded in a given format-migration event, source metadata might make note of the original encoding (e.g., MPEG-2 Main Profile @ Main Level). Source metadata is sometimes documented in the same structures used for file characteristics metadata, i.e., MIX (NISO Metadata for Images in XML) or, for sound recordings, in AES-X98B, a draft standard from the Audio Engineering Society called Administrative and Structural Metadata for Audio Objects.
Category:
Metadata
See also:
Metadata, technical; Metadata, file characteristics; Metadata, process