As defined by the OAIS Reference Model, Content Information is “A set of information that is the original target of preservation or that includes part or all of that information. It is an Information Object composed of its Content Data Object and its Representation Information”.
A Content Information Type can therefore be understood as a category of Content Information, like relational databases, scientific data or digitised maps, and a Content Information Type Specification being an explicit description on how data and metadata must be formatted and placed within a Common Specification Information Package in order to achieve interoperability in exchanging specific types of Content Information.
It is the aim of the DILCIS Board to allow everybody in the wider digital preservation community to create Content Information Type Specifications which pose interoperability-related requirements for some or all of the following:
- The required file format of data;
- Description of how data must be placed and structured within the Common Specification folder structure (i.e. a sub-structure for the “Data” folder);
- Clearly defined requirements for specific representation metadata that needs to be available in PREMIS for rendering and understanding the Content Data Object appropriately;
- Clearly defined list of specific (binary) documentation or other components (like software, emulators, etc.) which have to be available for rendering and understanding the Content Data Object appropriately;
- Specific descriptive and/or administrative metadata, which is relevant for this Content Information Type.
The guidelines for creating new Content Information Type Specifications are available in the Guidelines section.
The Content Information Type Specifications maintained by the DILCIS Board are available on the menu item "Content Types".