Preservation and Description of Audiovisual Records: Integrating Metadata Standards in Kazakhstan’s Archival System

Abstract

The study addresses the transformation of archival practices under digital conditions, with a focus on audiovisual records as complex, multi-format information resources. The aim was to develop an integrated archival framework for the classification, description, digitization, and preservation of audiovisual records within a national context. The methodology combined comparative analysis of international standards, regulatory frameworks, and technological platforms with structural-functional and metadata analysis. The key findings demonstrate that audiovisual records require a multi-criteria classification model based on media type, content, and recording method, enabling systematic organization and long-term accessibility. The study identifies an optimal metadata configuration integrating Dublin Core, PBCore, and EBUCore, ensuring interoperability and precise content description. Specific digitization standards were established, including the use of minimally compressed archival formats, SDI-based signal capture, Time Base Corrector (TBC) stabilization, and the creation of both master and access copies. Authenticity protocols developed in the study include the implementation of checksum verification, electronic signatures, controlled access procedures, and adherence to the Trusted Digital Repository model. The results also reveal inconsistencies between international standards and national regulations, highlighting the need for institutional and legal alignment. The proposed framework provides a practical basis for improving archival systems and ensuring the sustainable preservation of audiovisual heritage.