Author: Government recordkeeping

About the new digitisation products

Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) has recently issued the following new products to support digitisation best practice in Victorian Government agencies:

  • PROS 19/07 Converted or Digitised Records Retention and Disposal Authority (RDA)
  • PROS 19/05 S1 Digitisation Specification
  • PRO 58 Digitisation Plan Template
  • PRO 59 Digitisation Plan—Certificate of Compliance

These products can be access via our Digitisation topic page.

 

What are the key changes?

Agencies will be required to conform to a single set of digitisation requirements for the creation of their Digitisation Plans. (Previously, PROV allowed public offices to elect to either follow our own set of requirements or those of the now superseded Archives New Zealand Digitisation Standard). 

We have also removed the concepts of pre and post-action. Instead, disposal actions concerning digitised records are prescribed under the conditions and criteria outlined in PROS 19/07. The approach of the new RDA preferences digitised records over hardcopy for all records created on or after 1 January 2000.

 

Applying the new products

PROS 19/05 S1 Digitisation Specification replaces both:

  • PROS 11/07 S1 Digitisation Requirements Specification; and
  • PROS 11/07 S2 Digitisation Image Requirements Specification.
Please note that this new specification does not apply retrospectively. For records which were digitised to meet the requirements of the now superseded specifications, PROV will not usually require agencies to re-digitise records to the new requirements; however refer to PROS 19/05 S1 to check the circumstances in which a new Digitisation Plan will be required.

 

In developing a Digitisation Plan, agencies will need to ensure they comply with:

  • PROS 19/07 Converted or Digitised Records RDA
  • PROS 19/05 S3 Long Term Sustainable Formats Specification
  • PROS 19/05 S2 Minimum Metadata Requirements Specification. 

 

Our approach in developing the new products

PRO 58 Digitisation Plan Template has been designed to be a useful, optional tool to assist public offices with developing a Digitisation Plan, which they can adapt in accordance with their own circumstances and project needs.

In developing this suite of products, we have sought to remove any unnecessary requirements found in the previous digitisation products alongside addressing any gaps in compliance. We have also strived to make the application of our requirements more user-friendly and straightforward for agencies.

PROV would like to thank everyone who provided feedback throughout this project.

Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples

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