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Aviary Features
Metadata to support preservation
Developed in collaboration with the University of Alberta Library, enhanced media file metadata creation and auditing features help support a larger digital preservation program.
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Media file integrity checksums
Integrity checksums are generated for all media files that are uploaded to Aviary and stored on Aviary-controlled Wasabi storage.
An integrity checksum is a unique string of characters generated by applying a mathematical algorithm to a digital file. It serves as a digital fingerprint, allowing users to verify that the file has not been altered or corrupted over time, thereby supporting the an organization’s long-term digital preservation efforts collections.
Viewing Integrity Checksums
Media table: MD5 and SHA256 checksums for media files hosted in Aviary can be accessed from the Media table. The MD5 and SHA256 cColumns are included in the Manage Table options and can be set to visible or display or be hidden. TIn order to accesssee a specific single checksum for a specific media file, click on the corresponding Copy MD5 or Copy SHA256 button. The MD5 and SHA256 columns are also included in the Manage Table options, where they can be set to either visible or hidden.
Manage Media Info: Integrity checksums for a single media file can also be viewed by opening the Manage Media File modal window and clicking the Manage Media Info tab.
Export Media Files CSV: Integrity checksums for one-to-many media files can be exported from the Media table by selecting as part of the the Export Media Files(s) to CSV optionprocess in the undertaken from the Media table Table Options dropdown menu.
Resource Ddetail page: Integrity checksums can be displayed on the Rresource Ddetail pages’ Mmedia Ffile Mmetadata tab, just like other metadata fields. These MD5 and SHA256 media file metadata fields can be made visible or hidden by updating an organization’s Global Metadata Fields on the (Organization → Field Management → Resource Field Settings → Global Metadata Fields) page.
View integrity checks from the Aviary API: Authorized Organization Users can export the integrity checksums for media files using the Aviary API. You can see the Aviary API dDocumentation and a demonstration of the API is available on the Aviary API page.here: https://www.aviaryplatform.com/api/v1/documentation.
Media file technical metadata
TMediaInfo technical metadata is generated for all media files uploaded to Aviary and stored on Aviary-controlled Wasabi storage.
This technical metadata includes in-depth information about the format, size, encoding method, and other attributes of a media file. The metadata is extracted from the media files using the open-source MediaInfo application.
Viewing media file technical metadata
Manage Technical Metadata tab: Media file technical metadata for a single media file can also be viewed by opening the Manage Media File modal window and clicking the Media Technical Metadata tab.
View technical metadata from the Aviary API: Authorized Organization Users can export the media file technical metadata using the Aviary API. Documentation and a demonstration of the API is available on the Aviary API page.You can see the Aviary API documentation and demo here: https://www.aviaryplatform.com/api/v1/documentation. Exported media file tTechnical metadata exported matches the standard MediaInfo JSON format and cancould be used in to support external preservation activities.
Audit log
TheAn audit log tracks changes to Aviary resources, media files, transcripts, indexes, and supplemental files.
An audit log is a detailed, time-stamped record of all changes made to digital assets within Aviary. It tracks user activity includingsuch as uploads, edits, deletions, and metadata updates., The providesing a transparent history of who made a change, did what was changed, and when they made the changes. This helps to ensure accountability, supports security and compliance efforts, and enables organizations to monitor the integrity and lifecycles of their digital assets over time.
Viewing the audit log
To view the audit log, click the Audit Log link located under in the Organization dropdown menu.
Exporting the audit log
To export the audit log as a CSV file, click the Export CSV button in the top right corner of the Audit Log page. After clicking the Export CSV button, a confirmation message will notify the user that their export request was submitted and the CSV is being processed. The user will then receive an email with a link to download the CSV file after the export has finished processing.
Media file integrity checksums
04/15/2025
Integrity checksums are generated for all media files uploaded to Aviary and stored on Aviary-controlled Wasabi storage.
An integrity checksum is a unique string of characters generated by applying a mathematical algorithm to a digital file. It serves as a digital fingerprint, allowing users to verify that the file has not been altered or corrupted over time, thereby supporting the long-term digital preservation efforts collections.
Viewing Integrity Checksums
MD5 and SHA256 columns in the Media table
Example of the Manage Media Info tab in the Manage Media File modal window
Export Media Files(s) to CSV option in the Table Options dropdown menu
Example of a Resource Detail page with MD5 and SHA256 checksums on the Media File Metadata tab
MD5 and SHA256 checksum display settings on the Global Metadata Fields page
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