Internet2 and the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) are co-sponsoring a working group designed to propose standards and best practices for documenting, archiving, and retrieving the recordings of performances such as live theatre, musical compositions, dance etc. One key component of the working group will be addressing dissertations that result in these performances. Below is a proposed charter t to provide you with further details about the working group.

It is our expectation that the group will define goals to be met within a one-year period. At that time, we will evaluate our progress and determine if we would like to set new goals and continue our efforts.

If you are interested in joining the working group, please contact Ann Doyle, the manager of the Internet2 Arts and Humanities Initiatives  at adoyle@internet2.edu (and please copy me at cliff@cni.org).

Performance Archive and Retrieval Working Group

Charter:
Advanced networks in combination with other developments in information technology, such as digital video/audio capture and synthesis, make it possible to document live theatre, musical compositions, dance and other performance in new ways.  These developments also allow for the creation and documentation of new genres of performance such as collaborative distributed musical theater events.

These materials will be important in the future scholarship of the arts and humanities. They will be an integral part of new theses and dissertations and also of scholarly publications.

The mission of this working group is to propose standards and best practices for documenting, archiving, and retrieving the recordings of these performances in the new digital environment. Tasks for the working group include:
                                                     
ß Researching existing technologies and practices for recording and archiving events
ß Identifying standards for capturing digital audio and video
ß Identifying technologies for archiving, searching, delivery, and presentation
ß Building connections and consensus with scholarly publishing activities in the arts and humanities including digital thesis projects, performing arts archives and library special collections.
ß Developing a best practices document for event documentation
ß Hosting a workshop to disseminate results of best-practices and standards proposals

Working Group Expectations:
Members of the working group will be expected to participate in bi-monthly conference calls and conduct follow up activities between conference call meetings.   Working group meetings will also be held in person at Internet2 member meetings, CNI task force meetings and other appropriate venues.

Clifford Lynch

Director, CNI