Receiving AMICO Member Contributions
(Version 0.3  Dec. 2001)

Here's what we do when Members send contributions to The AMICO Library.

• Turn Around Time
• If Physical Media is received
• If files are emailed
• If files submitted using the CMS
• If files are sent by ftp
• Text File Validation
• Image File Validation
• Multimedia File Validation
• Regular Updates to Distributors

TURN AROUND TIME

• Contributions should be processed quickly and Members should receive a prompt report on the status of their submissions.
• Contributions must be processed within three business days of receipt.
• If contributions are not validated within three business days Members should receive a report of the problems AMICO is working to resolve and an estimate of the time that it will take (for example, to process large numbers of images).

CONTRIBUTION RECEIVED

IF PHYSICAL MEDIA IS RECEIVED

• Administration opens packages, and acknowledges media by email to Technical Contact, as recorded in AMICO Member database.
  • Copies of email are sent to Tech, Production, Ex. Dir
• Office Manager routes media to Tech (AMICO To Validate Red Box).
• Tech monitors box, reviews media daily
• Tech numbers media received
  
  AMICO MemberID.ALY.[Sequential number]
  e.g. MMA_.2000.00
  
  
• Tech separates text, image and multimedia files and routes each for validation.

IF FILES ARE EMAILED

• Recipient acknowledges receipt, copying rest of team
• Recipient routes files for validation
  • Images
    • Files placed in appropriate Member's "incoming" directory
    • Tech validates files
  • Text
    • Files placed in appropriate Member's "incoming" directory
    • Production validates files
  • Multimedia
    • Files placed in appropriate Member's "incoming" directory
    • Tech validates files

IF FILES ARE SUBMITTED USING THE CMS

Text files

• Production monitors activity by each Member
• If Members submit, but do not validate files
  • Production notifies Member of receipt (c.c. Ex. Dir and Tech)
  • Production reviews and validates files

Image Files

• Production monitors activity by each Member
• Production notifies Tech if Image files are waiting to be validated
• Tech Validates Files

Multimedia files

• Production monitors activity by each Member
• Production notifies Tech if Multimedia files are waiting to be validated
• Tech validates Files

IF FILES ARE SENT VIA FTP

Text files

• Production monitors activity by Members
• Production reviews/validates files

Image Files

• Production monitors activity by Members
• Production notifies Tech if Image files to validate
• Tech validates files

Multimedia files

• Production monitors activity by each member
• Production notifies Tech if Image files to validate
• Tech validates files

TEXT FILE VALIDATION (catalog or metadata records)

Production reviews file (using View Files in the CMS)

• verifies file format
  • correct delimeters, record endings, character sets
  • correct file name
    
    ****.filename.txt
    
    where **** is member abbreviation and filename is unique from other files submitted

   

  If file format needs work:

  • Production downloads the file and makes systematic corrections as necessary
    • Production stores a copy of the original file on NT File server  
      
      AMICO.library/contributions/YYYY/****/
      
      Where YYYY is the Library Year and **** is the member abbreviation.
      
      <future note: we might want a place to save unvalidated -- and unprocessable files on update.amico.org rather than moving these off to the NT server.>
    • Production massages the file as necessary
    • Production puts revised copy of file on update.amico.org in member's
      /incoming directory 
    • keep file name same as original
    • add initials (and sequence number if necessaryfollowing initial filename)
        ****.filename.PL1.txt

• If file format OK, Production validates file

• chooses online (if small file) or off-line (if large number of records)

• Production reviews validation reports
  • compares count of records in pre-validation report with count in validation summary
  • spot-checks records to ensure correct fielding of data, loading of values.
  • summarizes problems reported
  • examines submitted file for systematic errors
• Production follows up with Member regarding required corrections
  • reports any systematic changes made to submitted file
  • requests necessary corrections or additional data. (c.c. Ex. Dir)
• Production co-ordinates members corrections to their data
  • Production may make minor corrections and inform Member

IMAGE FILE VALIDATION

• Tech validates Images
  • Verifies Media Number assigned on receipt (no duplicates or missed numbers in sequence!)
  • Assigns Media Number to FTP session (MEMB.YEAR.ftp.###)
  • runs acknowledgeMedia.pl script (Original number/name of media given by member - e.g. "Greek and Roman" -- included as "Comment" when executing this script)
  • This script:
    • Generates thumbnails
    • Create entry in Media Database
    • Creates entries in File Database
    • Makes Media Log Entry.
      <future note: enhance acknowledgMedia.pl to check for minimum file dimensions>
• Tech emails Production when Images validated, including media name in message.(c.c. Ex. Dir)
• Production reviews report for image orientation, broken thumbnails, etc.
  • reviews problems with Tech,
  • notifies member if new files required
• Production monitors process,
  • liaises with Member if replacement images or corrections are needed

Image Metadata

• Tech checks with Production to see if metadata files are expected from Member or if metadata needs to be generated
  • If metadata generation is required, Production supplies Tech standard default values (for XPU, XRS, Member abbreviation) after consultation with Member.
    • Tech runs mkmeta*.pl script to generate metadata.
    • Tech validates generated metadata file.
  • Production spot-checks generated/submitted metadata records to ensure images of expected resolution, color space, etc.

   

MULTIMEDIA FILE VALIDATION (note separate procedure for Antenna Audio)

• Tech sees if files can be played/opened
  • verifies appropriate file extension and file name:
      ****.filename.ttt
    
    where **** is member abbreviation and .ttt is 3-character MIME type extension
• Tech places copy of multimedia file on NT server in AMICO.library/multimedia/****
  
  where **** is Member's abbreviation
  <future note: these should be accessible on update.amico.org somewhere>
• Tech generates agreed upon "Thumbnail"
• Tech notifies Production that file validated
• Production verifies presence of metadata record for file (part of regular text record updates)
• Tech manually ensures that file is queued to be written onto tape to be sent to distributors.

  For Antenna Audio

• Tech converts CD Audio to MP3
• Tech generates metadata files
• Tech notifies Member of Audio to Review
• Member reviews audio and links to catalog records
• Tech ensures files queued for distribution

REGULAR UPDATES TO DISTRIBUTORS

Text Records (Catalog and Media Metadata)

• Tech generates weekly updates (Thursdays) to be sent to distributors. These include all records changed since the previous update, that have a valid data dictionary version.
• Tech generates weekly updates (Thursdays) to the AMICO Public Web Catalog (APW). These include all records (catalog and metadata) changed since the previous update, that have a valid data dictionary version.

Image and Multimedia Files

• Production ensures that all catalog records, images, metadata records are linked
• Production notifies Tech that links are OK
• Tech runs writeTiffHeaders.pl script to write database values to TIFF  headers and generate tape to be sent to distributors.
  • Tech reviews output, to verify images are linked to records.
  • Tech moves 'unlinked' images into temporary holding directory: ****.unlinked until problems resolved.
  • Tech notifies Production of unlinked images.
  • Production follows up with Member; notifies Tech when corrections  are made.
• Tech writes copy of images to Member's DLT tape
  
  <future note: images should be accessible on-line through update.amico.org>
  
  
• Tech generates regular updates to be sent to distributors (quarterly)
• Tech updates AMICO Public Web Catalog weekly (synchronizing Thumbnail Directories with CMS)

 

 

Last modified on  December 6, 2001