Archival Processing

A Digital Object in ArchivesSpace is an instance type that points to a digital manifestation of an archival item or file. For example, a digitized version of a photographic print. ArchivesSpace does not host the digitized content, it only points to it with a URL - the digitized content must be hosted elsewhere such as on ContentDM or our Islandora repository. If the digitized content isn't available on a publicly-accessible website you can still use a Digital Object to indicate that digital files exist in a collection, or that physical content in a collection has been digitized.

Digital objects can exist independently of a collection (resource record) or as part of a collection within the finding aid.

Follow these steps to create a digital object within a collection finding aid:

1. Know where your digital / digitized files are saved (such as the I:\drive)
2. Navigate to the item or folder description in the finding aid in ArchivesSpace
3. At the bottom of the Instances field, click Add Digital Object
4. In the field that pops up, click the down arrow, and select "Create"
   • Title: make the Title the same as the item/file description for the physical instance. If there is no physical instance, make it the item/file description you want to appear in the finding aid 
   • Identifier: Create a unique file name that indicates the name of the collection, and the box/folder number it came from IF there is a physical instance. If there is none, give it an identifier that will help you match it to the item/file you are describing
   • Publish: Tick this box to make the digital object visible to the public
   • VRA Core Level: This field is optional. It is a drop down list of Visual Resources Association terms.
   • Digital Object Type: This field is optional. It is a drop down list of material types.
   • Restrictions: Tick the box to indicate that there is a restriction associated with the item/file.
   • File Versions: Click Add File Version button
     • File URI: supply the file path to the digital file, such as on the I:\drive
     • Publish: Leave this box unticked so that the direct file path is not made public
     • The remaining fields are optional; some of them are used to point to hosted digital content. We are not using ArchivesSpace digital objects to point to our hosted resources yet.
   • Click the Create and Link button
5. Once the digital object is created, the system will return you to the Archival Object level. Add two notes:
   • General Note: indicate the file name like this: File name: photo12.jpg
     • make this note public
   • Physical Location Note: copy the file path to where the files are saved
     • make this note unpublished so that the direct file path is not made public

Example of an item in Donald MacDonald's papers that has a physical item and a digitized version:

• Digital object: Two Worlds – Mountain View, 1979
• Physical item: Two Worlds – Mountain View, 1979

Example of an item in Donald MacDonald's papers that has a physical item (a compact disc) and the files on the cd have been copied to the shared departmental drive:

• Digital object: Alcatraz [part 2]
• Physical item: Alcatraz [part 2]

Examples of entire collections of only digital objects (no physical files received)

• Larry Brocaw digital files
• Violeta Autumn digital files

Digital Object tutorial video: ArchivesSpace Digital Objects Module Training