Studies FY2007

The themes of studies FY2007 are as follows:

A study was carried out on floppy disks (FDs), which is particularly becoming technically obsolescent and will possibly be unusable in future among recording media for digital information. We picked out samples of 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch FDs from the NDL holdings and migrated them, which resulted in 97% successful migration.

At the same time we conducted the following studies and identified the problems in each.

• Measures against FDs distorted and damaged due to storage conditions
• Method of coping with FDs depending on playback equipment and environments which are rarely offered in the market as a result of obsolescence of their specifications (especially 5.25-inch FDs of double-density, etc.)
• Method of judgment on completion of migration
• Method dealing with migration errors and copy protection

Although it is possible to store semipermanently the data after migration (image files of FDs), environments to play back the data are also required. Therefore, we examined a method of emulating the devices which dealt with FDs at that time in software to display the data contained in the image files of FDs and to execute applications. The results showed a need for arrangements of the operating procedure for each emulator in advance and a revision of the environment with low emulation precision.

We conducted research on:

• classification of major file formats of sample FDs on which we conducted a study on migration in FY2006 and FY2007,
• emulator applicable to each format,
• experimental emulation of samples extracted from above-mentioned FDs (evaluate apparent operational reproducibility and availability of sound reproduction).

It is anticipated that it will be difficult to provide users with old-fashioned recorded materials (such as Standard Play (SP) records and reel-to-reel audio tapes), and old-fashioned visual materials (such as 8mm films) in future because of the difficulty of reproduction owing to deterioration and unavailability of equipment and playback software due to obsolescence of their specifications.

Therefore, we drew up a plan “National Diet Library Guidelines for Digitization of Audio-visual Materials,” which should be useful for starting digitization operations and conducted verification research of digitization of audio-visual materials in accordance with it. We confirmed they could be generally reproduced accurately. However, future tasks including consideration of working hours for cleaning were identified.

1. Introduction
   • 1.1. Background and purpose
     • 1.1.1. Background
     • 1.1.2. Purpose and Outline
2. Study on migration of FDs
   • 2.1. Migration of sample FDs
     • 2.1.1 Outline
     • 2.1.2 Results
     • 2.1.3 Analysis
   • 2.2. Measures against distorted FDs caused by storage condition
     • 2.2.1 Procedures for checking external structure
     • 2.2.2 Measures against distortion
     • 2.2.3 Future issues
   • 2.3. Actions for obsolescence of specifications and rare playback environment
     • 2.3.1 Definition of rare environment
     • 2.3.2 Action and types of specifications of equipment
   • 2.4. How to confirm the completion of migration
     • 2.4.1 Outline
     • 2.4.2 Study on tools
     • 2.4.3 Results
   • 2.5. Solution for migration error and copy protection
     • 2.5.1 Analysis of error patterns
     • 2.5.2 Copy protection
     • 2.5.3 Removal of copy protection
   • 2.6. Results and plan
3. Study on emulation of FD image files
   • 3.1. Purpose
   • 3.2. Configuration requirements of emulation environment for FD image files
     • 3.2.1 Major formats of FDs
     • 3.2.2 Available emulators
   • 3.3. Verification
     • 3.3.1 Selection of necessary emulation environment
     • 3.3.2 Implementation of emulation
     • 3.3.3 Valuation analysis
     • 3.3.4 Types of failure
     • 3.3.5 Analysis and future tasks
4. Study on digitization of audio-visual materials
   • 4.1. Purpose
   • 4.2. Draft of Guideline on Digitization of Audio-visual Materials
     • 4.2.1 Purpose
     • 4.2.2 Methods
     • 4.2.3 Contents
     • 4.2.4 Release of the guidelines
   • 4.3. Experimental digitization of audio materials
     • 4.3.1 Outline
     • 4.3.2 Contents
     • 4.3.3 Results
     • 4.3.4 Analysis and future tasks
   • 4.4. Experimental digitization of visual materials
     • 4.4.1 Outline
     • 4.4.2 Contents
     • 4.4.3 Results
     • 4.4.4 Analysis and future tasks