4.5.2 Capture or create minimum descriptive information for each AIP
The repository shall capture or create minimum descriptive information and ensure that it is associated with the AIP.
This is required in order to ensure that descriptive information is associated with the AIP.
Descriptive metadata; internal or external persistent, unique identifier or locator that is associated with the AIP (see also 4.2.4 about persistent, unique identifier); system documentation and technical architecture; depositor agreements; metadata policy documentation, incorporating details of metadata requirements and a statement describing where responsibility for its procurement falls; process workflow documentation.
The repository should show that it associates with each AIP, minimum descriptive information that was either received from the producer or created by the repository. Associating the descriptive information with the object is important, although it does not require one-to-one correspondence, and may not necessarily be stored with the AIP. Hierarchical schemes of description can allow some descriptive elements to be associated with many items.
Bagging specifications and Definition of AIPs both require a unique identifier for each bag that is generated by the institution and include information about metadata requirements. Also see the Technical Workflows and the description of an Object Resource.
APTrust does not require that the identifiers be persistent, although this was part of original documentation. Persistent identifiers presented a huge impediment to ingest and when users were not able to proceed, the requirement was dropped. As we are providing staff access to content rather than end-user access to content, removing this requirement has not modified our system. If we choose to alter our services to include end-user access, the Board will revisit the issue.
Our current deposit requirements and responsibilities are also outlined in the following documents: