6.6.4 Formats and Dissemination Information Packages (DIP)

6.6.4.1  The Dissemination Information Package (DIP) is the Information Package received by the Consumer in response to a request for content, or an order. The delivery system should also be able to deliver a result set or a report from a query.

6.6.4.2  Web developers and the access “industry” have developed delivery systems based, naturally, around delivery formats. Delivery formats are not suitable for preservation, and generally, preservation formats are not suitable for delivery. In order to facilitate delivery, separate access copies are created, either routinely, or “on demand” in response to a request. Content may be streamed, or downloaded in compressed delivery formats. The quality of the delivery format is generally proportional to its bandwidth requirements, and collection managers must make decisions about the type of delivery formats based on the user requirements and the infrastructure to support delivery. QuickTime and Real Media formats have proven to be popular streaming formats and MP3 (MPEG 1 Layer 3) a popular downloadable format which may also be streamed. There is no requirement to select only these formats for delivery, and many collection delivery systems provide a choice of formats to the user.

6.6.4.3  For some types of material it may be necessary to create two master WAV files: one, a preservation or archival master that replicates exactly the format and condition of the original the second, a dissemination master that may have been processed in order to improve the audio quality of the content. A second master will allow the creation of dissemination copy as required. It is expected that distribution formats will continue to change and evolve at a faster rate than master formats.