Normalized database preserves radio programme information for internal users and research

Abstract

How to archive databases is a challenging task in digital archiving. Often the systems including databases with important have to be closed; either the used technology is getting obsolete or the costs to run old systems are getting very high. In many cases the databases are still carrying valuable information. The regulations and recommendations by the archivists often advise to store information as sequential files. In those formats the data is safe but in most cases very hard to use when the original applications are no longer available. The joint project ElkaD Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences (UAS) and national business archives in Finland (ELKA) has created and implemented a better choice. The database used by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) was transferred into a normalised SQL database using standard ISO SQL tools only. In this case the information can be transferred from one SQL engine or version to another without any re-programming. The Mummy-Musa, as YLE calls the archive, includes a database and user interfaces with Programme search, Piece-of-music search and Reporting functions. The Mummy-Musa was developed in the framework of the ElkaD project, co-funded by European Social Fund, Province of Eastern Finland and Southern Savo Region. Mikkeli UAS is now continuing to develop normalized databases in an EU-funded project Aton.