Linked Open Data for Digital Audio Formats

The Digital Audio category encompasses formats used to encode recorded sound as machine readable files by converting acoustic sound waves into digital signals. Digital audio formats are generally composed of both an encoding/decoding method (codec) and a container/wrapper format which encapsulates the bitstreams and includes other associated data such as metadata. The file extension typically denotes the container/wrapper format. Digital audio is defined as an audio waveform that has been created as, or converted into, digital form and encoded as a sequence of numerical samples with the purpose of converting to a continuous analog signal reproducing sound.

The significant properties of digital audio records are documented in the Digital Audio Preservation Plan, which can be used as test criteria for tools and processes used in format transformations. 

NARA makes its Linked Open Data available in Resource Description Framework Terse RDF Triple Language or RDF Turtle (.ttl files). These files can be opened in any text editor. The Digital Preservation Framework as Linked Open Data includes the same elements as are available in the version of the Preservation Plans on GitHub.

These plans are not exhaustive nor universally applicable proposed actions and recommended or endorsed tools: these represent file formats and variant versions in NARA holdings, the current NARA risk assessment, processing capabilities, and tools in use at NARA.