The PREMIS Editorial Committee is pleased to announce the release of the
PREMIS Data Dictionary for Preservation Metadata, version 2.0.  This
document is a revision of Data Dictionary for Preservation Metadata: Final
report of the PREMIS Working Group, issued in May 2005.  The PREMIS Data
Dictionary and its supporting documentation is a comprehensive, practical
resource for implementing preservation metadata in digital archiving
systems.  Preservation metadata is defined as information that
preservation repositories need to know to support digital materials over
the long term.  

This document is a specification that emphasizes metadata that may be
implemented in a wide range of repositories, supported by guidelines for
creation, management and use, and oriented toward automated workflows.  It
is technically neutral in that no assumptions are made about preservation
technologies, strategies, syntaxes, or metadata storage and
management.  Members of the PREMIS Editorial Committee revised the
original data dictionary based on comments and experience from
implementers and potential implementers since its release. The Editorial
Committee kept the preservation community informed about issues being
discussed, solicited comments on proposed revisions, and consulted outside
experts where appropriate.

The international Editorial Committee is a part of the PREMIS Maintenance
Activity sponsored by the Library of Congress. The Maintenance Activity
also includes PREMIS tutorials and promotional activities, and an active
PREMIS Implementers Group. See
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/.

Major changes in this revision include:
	*Expanded rights metadata
	*More extensive significant properties and preservation level
         information
	*Mechanism for extensibility for a number of metadata units

The PREMIS Data Dictionary for Preservation Metadata, version 2.0 is
available from:
http://www.loc.gov/premis/v2/premis-2-0.pdf.  An XML schema to support
implementation is currently in draft and is available at:
http://www.loc.gov/standards/premis/schemas.html
This is an extensive revision of the earlier PREMIS version 1.1 schemas.  

After a one month review, the schema will be finalized. Please send
comments about the XML schema by April 24 to Ray Denenberg, [log in to unmask]

Apologies for cross-postings.

Rebecca Guenther
Chair, PREMIS Editorial Committee
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^^  Rebecca S. Guenther                                   ^^
^^  Senior Networking and Standards Specialist            ^^
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