SIP specifications

The E-ARK standard is a common European specification for structuring, packaging, and transferring digital objects. The standard is based on established frameworks and standards for digital preservation, such as the OAIS standard, PREMIS, and METS. E-ARK defines common requirements for the structure, content, and metadata of information packages (SIP, AIP, and DIP), and facilitates interoperability between system vendors, data producers, and preservation institutions.

Within E-ARK, the Common Specification for Information Packages (CSIP) is a core specification that defines requirements common to all information packages. In addition to CSIP, there are sub-specifications for packages intended for submission to the preservation environment (SIP), archiving within the preservation environment (AIP), and dissemination from the preservation environment (DIP).

The applicable specifications for Submission Information Packages (SIP) at the National Library are based on E-ARK and include internal adaptations and clarifications. The documents in this specification define how information packages must be structured and described when delivered to the National Library.

The specification consists of the requirements for package structure, the requirements for METS.xml (with additional requirements per media type), and examples. What a package contains and how to decide its scope is explained in Information packages. For a step-by-step guide, see Prepare content for submission.