Federal Agencies
Digital Guidelines Initiative

About This Initiative

FADGI is a collaborative effort started in 2007 by federal agencies to articulate common sustainable practices and guidelines for digitized and born digital historical, archival and cultural content. Two working groups study issues specific to two major areas, Still Image and Audio-Visual.

Summary chart of FADGI's impact within the Library of Congress and the wider community. Updated January 31, 2018.

Learn more about the initiative

Still Image
Working Group

This group is involved in a cooperative effort to develop common digitization guidelines for still image materials.

Audio-Visual
Working Group

This group works collaboratively on common and sustainable technical guidelines, methods, and practices for digitized and born digital sound recordings and moving images.

Digitization Guidelines
  • Audio Digitization System Performance: Low Cost Guidelines and ADCTest Software Released
    Approved by Working Group | January, 2018

    The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group has approved a set of guidelines for low cost testing of audio analog-to-digital converters as part of its ongoing program to test performance of ADC devices. To faciliate this work, AVP on behalf of FADGI developed the ADCTest open source software application to automate testing protocols to comply with the low cost guidelines.

  • MXF AS-07: Revised Specification and New Sample Files Published
    Approved by Working Group | September 8, 2017

    A revised version of the MXF AS-07 Application Specification, along with a new set of corresponding graded sample files, is now available. AS-07 is developed by the FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group in conjunction with community and commercial collaborators and specifies a vendor-neutral subset of the MXF file format for the long-term archiving and preservation of moving image and other audiovisual content. Among other features, AS-07 defines a means for the carriage and labeling of multiple timecodes and audio tracks; the handling of captions, subtitles, and Timed Text; a minimal core metadata set; program segmentation metadata; and embedded content integrity data.

  • Guidelines for Embedding Metadata in DPX File Headers
    Approved by Working Group | August 14, 2017

    The FADGI Audio-Visual Working Group has developed guidelines for embedding metadata in the DPX header, a file format often used for digitized motion picture film. The guidelines outline FADGI implementations of the SMPTE Core fields as well as other elements Strongly Recommended, Recommended or Optional for FADGI use. The approved version includes significant revisions from the 12/16/16 draft version such as a justification about the rationale for embedded metadata and explanations of issues with date/time formatting and data overruns.

  • OpenDICE and AutoSFR Open Source Software
    Approved by Working Group | January 2017

    OpenDICE software measures DICE device level imaging target files for conformance with the FADGI imaging guidelines. AutoSFR software measures physical structures in an image file to determine the effective resolution of the image, useful to help determine the appropriate scanning resolution for best results.

  • Technical Guidelines for the Still Image Digitization of Cultural Heritage Materials
    Approved by Working Group | September 2016

    The 2016 FADGI Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials has been approved by the Still Image working group. This represents shared best practices for still image materials (e.g., textual content, maps, and photographic prints and negatives) followed by FADGI agencies, and is used by cultural heritage institutions worldwide.

    • All FADGI Guidelines

News & Events

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Blog Posts

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Frequently Requested Guidelines

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Last Updated: 05/10/2018