APPLIED RESEARCH FOR ENABLING ACCESS TO COMPLEX DIGITAL CONTENT FORMATS

*Amendment 0001 added to answer questions* The Library of Congress (Library/LOC) seeks to maximize the value of its collections for the benefit of all Americans, and to understand the technical capabilities and tools that are required to support user access for complex digital objects. The Library's Digital Collections Strategy Fiscal Years 2022-2026 (https://www.loc.gov/acq/devpol/Digital%20Collections%20Strategy%20Overview_final.pdf) states the Library will optimize resources and - invest in end-to-end modernization of IT infrastructure to support the centrality of digital collecting. It goes on to say that - Currently, it is difficult to broadly scale and expand digital collecting efforts end-to-end. Significantly, many important forms of born digital unpublished materials (ex. email, research data, geospatial datasets, complex digital objects, national security classified documents, etc.) in archival collections are also not currently supported in systems for preservation and access in existing tools and systems and will need to be supported in future systems. As the Library's digital collecting continues to expand, a significant portion of born digital collection content in the Library's collections do not present straightforward methods for rendering for user access making these collections largely unavailable for discovery and research. In some cases, the Library has developed rudimentary methods to provide some level of access but as the scope and breath of digital content that comes into the Library's collections evolves in complexity, the Library must improve options for user engagement with digital content. The Library requires expert consulting services to carry out research activities to improve options for user access of selected born digital content, including file formats that do not have established access protocols. Working with a wide range of Library-provided born digital sample data from the Manuscript Division and Music Division, including but not limited to early word processing formats (i.e., Word Star, WordPerfect, MS Word binary formats), legacy versions of Sibelius and Finale music composition files, proprietary electronic sound generation files needed for performance, datasets, computer aided design file of stage and set productions, email, spreadsheets, system and software support files, and more, the project seeks to analyze these sets of content, provide consultation and recommendations on how existing modes for access to content could be improved with tools and services that would allow for better user access to these kinds of content either through particular viewing and rendering tools or through methods like virtualization and emulation. The deliverables from the project shall include: Demonstrations of proof of concept solutions Report detailing process and outcomes with LOC-environment specific recommendations, including interviews with appropriate LOC staff. Establishment of an internal LOC staff content expert group to give feedback on the project including final deliverables.