Pacific And Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures
Linda Barwick, University of SydneyPresentation to APAN E-science workshop, Honolulu, 28 Jan
2004
Large-scale digital archives of Large-scale digital archives of endangered Asia-Pacific languagesendangered Asia-Pacific languages
Endangered regional languagesEndangered regional languages
Approx. 2500 of the world’s 6000 languages in Australia’s region (Oceania, E and SE Asia)
Majority of these 2500 are endangered - number of languages likely to fall to a few hundred by 2100 (UNESCO)
Loss of language -> loss of cultural knowledge (e.g. ecological knowledge) and expressions (e.g. songs) -> loss of human diversity
Why digital archives?Why digital archives?
Salvaging materials recorded in endangered analogue formats– Only means of ensuring long-term preservation
and access to audio Optimal format for transcription and analysis Distributed management & access (including
authentication) via broadband R&E networks Participation in international consortia for
resource discovery and advice Quality-controlled citeable primary data
resource to support research results
The coming revolution …The coming revolution …
Quality-controlled citeable primary data resource to support research results requires:– Authenticated resource creation path– Finegrained description of resource
• Metadata• Transcript• Timecoding• (Translation… )
– Sustainability, security, discoverability and accessibility of resource (i.e. needs to be online)
– Instantiation of links between research results and primary data (e.g. via electronic publication)
Other regional digital language Other regional digital language and music archivesand music archives
Archive of Maori and Pacific Music, U. Auckland Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia Vanuatu Cultural Centre Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies Music Archive,
Port Moresby Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
studies audiovisual archive Alaskan Native Languages Center Archive of Indigenous Languages of Latin America Formosan Language archive Others … e.g. Malaysia ….
Some European archives Some European archives hosting hosting Asia-Pacific region materialAsia-Pacific region material
DoBeS (Documentation of Endangered Languages) Archive, Max Planck Institute, Nijmegen, Holland
Endangered Languages Programme Archive, SOAS, UK
Vienna Phonogrammarchiv Berlin Phonogrammarchiv LACITO, France Musée de l’homme, France British National Sound Archive …
About PARADISECAbout PARADISEC
Established 2003 to preserve and make accessible Australian researchers’ field recordings of endangered languages and musics from the Asia-Pacific region
Collaborative project funded by Australian Research council, participants Universities of Sydney, Melbourne and ANU
Does not include Australian languages - these managed via AIATSIS
Present focus on audio recordings - plan to include and integrate other digital resources
Collection status Jan 2004Collection status Jan 2004
1324 assessed records, covering approx. 150 regional languages from 14 countries – (Australia, Burma, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Taiwan, Vanuatu, Vietnam)
392 hours ingested and online via password, APAC store account - on target for 500 hours (1 terabyte) in first year
Metadata quality control via registration with Open Language Archive Community (6/03) and OAI
First collections digitised and returned to depositors
Metadata - Metadata - shared online databaseshared online database
For description, assessment, rights, access Filemaker Pro while
in development Currently moving to
MySQL/PHP Created & managed online
in shared server space Public access to catalogue
planned for 2004 Will link to collection
(for authorised users) Nick Thieberger, Melbourne unitNick Thieberger, Melbourne unitPARADISEC project managerPARADISEC project manager
PARADISEC audio standardsPARADISEC audio standards
24-bit 96khz Broadcast Wave Format (uncompressed PCM audio with encapsulated metadata) 2GB/h
Ingestion managed via Quadriga system (also used by National Library of Australia, Screensound, etc)CD-audio and Mp3 browser copies via batch processing
Frank Davey, audio engineer, Sydney unitFrank Davey, audio engineer, Sydney unit
Depositor and user liaisonDepositor and user liaison
PARADISEC digital archive only - provides temporary storage while objects are digitised– originals returned to
originating institution/depositor with CD-audio copy
– depositors have onlinepassword-protectedaccess to full-resolutiondigital files
– we provide advice on archiving of originals if requested– born-digital originals will revolutionise work practices
Amanda Harris, project Amanda Harris, project administration, Sydney unitadministration, Sydney unit
PARADISEC structurePARADISEC structure
“Azoulay”archive space
working space
digitisation(Sydney)
data entry/administration
metadata/database design
(Melbourne)
Usyd MSS
APACnational facility
(Canberra)
depositorowner
culturalcentre
authorisedgeneral user
passwordauthentication
RightsRights
Depositor and user agreement forms onlineRights information embedded in the
processing system for eventual automated access or restriction of access
Trial password access currently implemented on APAC store and shared database
Access (audio online) Access (audio online)
Download whole files from data store (e.g. for authorised community use)
Streaming MP3 (browsing)– Audition section of file (in development 2004)– Transcript, dictionaries, maps, images etc as point of
entry to collection (in development 2004) Effective access depends on transcripts with
translations and timecoding Need ‘timecoding for dummies’ tools Encouragement for users to add value to
repository by lodging transcripts, indexes etc.
Training & ResourcesTraining & Resources
Demand for practical workshops for researchers and communities
Researcher training to archive in everyday practice not just as end point
Website as gateway for online resources Potential for online collaboration with users and
stakeholder communities in adding value to collection through timecoding and metadata
PARADISEC’s communitiesPARADISEC’s communities
PARADISEC
AustralianHigher Education
Sector
Internationaldiscipline-relateddigital entities
National media archives
Regional stakeholdersand cultural centres
Regional communityRegional community
Speakers/performers and their inheritors
Local and national cultural centres– Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta– Institute of PNG Studies– Etc…
Must be involved for ethical and rights reasons
Significant user community
PARADISEC
Regional stakeholders
IssuesIssues
Differentials in infrastructureDifferentials in fundingTraining and career structuresTechnical supportLocal language access interface
PARADISEC
Regional stakeholders
WishlistWishlist
Effective international networking links to stakeholder communities
User-friendly, cost-effective and open-source database, indexation and annotation software
More opportunities for user workshops and skillsharing within the Asia-Pacific region
Greater awareness of potential for cultural heritage applications in the planning/feasibility study stages of regional infrastructure projects
PARADISECPARADISEC
Regional stakeholders
OLAC OLAC http://www.language-archives.orghttp://www.language-archives.org
Sub-community of Open Archives Initiative
Worldwide virtual library of language resources
PARADISEC one of 27 participating archives
AIMS develop consensus on
best current practice for digital archiving of language resources
develop network of interoperating repositories & services for housing & accessing such resources
PARADISEC
Internationaldiscipline-related
digital entities
DELAMAN DELAMAN http://www.delaman.orghttp://www.delaman.org
Other participants include: Alaska Native Language Center Archives
(University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA) Archive of Indigenous Languages of Latin
America (University of Texas, USA) Archive of Maori and Pacific Music (University
of Auckland, New Zealand) DoBeS archive (Max Planck Institut für
Psycholinguistik, Holland) ELAR archive (School of Oriental and African
Studies, UK)
PARADISEC
Internationaldiscipline-related
digital entities
IssuesIssues
Differentials in scope and mission of participants
Differential IP and rights protocols across international boundaries
Differentials in data structures, standards and system architectures
PARADISEC
Internationaldiscipline-related
digital entities
WishlistWishlist
Networking, ethical agreements and standards to allow mirroring of data between participating archives to provide secure backup and efficiencies in data provision to global user communities
PARADISEC
Internationaldiscipline-related
digital entities
LinkagesLinkages Support and advice from ...
– ANU Internet Futures, APAC, Grangenet – ScreenSound– National Library– AIATSIS
Collaborations ...– EMELD (Electronic Metastructures for Endangered
Languages Data)– DELAMAN and OLAC– Regional cultural organisations– Strategic partnerships with other digital archives
ContactsContacts
Please visit our website
http://www.paradisec.org.au
Director (Sydney unit)
Project manager (Melbourne)