# How We Work: From Donation to a Future-Proof Archive | Ocean Archive URL: https://oceanarchive.net/stories/how-we-work Ocean Archive exists for one reason: to make sure that valuable ocean knowledge does not disappear. --- Process Ocean Archive exists for one reason: to make sure that valuable ocean knowledge does not disappear. ![Ocean Archive Team](https://oceanarchive.net/__l5e/assets-v1/b9117cd5-3166-492a-a515-cfc633d0972f/ocean-archive-symbol.png) Ocean Archive Team February 2026 10 min read Underwater photographs, expedition films, logbooks, sensor records, and oceanographic datasets often contain information that cannot be recreated. A dive site may change. A shipwreck may degrade. A bloom may pass. A measurement series may never be repeated. What is captured in one moment can become evidence, context, and insight for decades to come. That is why Ocean Archive is designed as a long-term infrastructure. Not only to collect material, but to safeguard it, interpret it, and keep it usable. This is how we work, from the moment material arrives to the moment it becomes part of a future-facing archive. ### STEP 1: RECEIVING DONATED MATERIAL ![Donated 35mm slides on a lightbox during intake — each frame catalogued before digitisation.](https://oceanarchive.net/__l5e/assets-v1/1800f753-5880-451a-9a61-219f013c029e/slides-lightbox.jpg) Donated 35mm slides on a lightbox during intake — each frame catalogued before digitisation. Photo: Micke Tilja - Ocean Archive Ocean Archive begins with people. We receive contributions from divers, photographers, filmmakers, researchers, institutions, and ocean professionals. Material can arrive in many forms: external hard drives, memory cards, film reels, analogue slides, prints, contact sheets, logbooks, and datasets exported from scientific instruments. The first step is careful intake. We document what has been donated, who contributed it, and any information that helps us understand what we are receiving. At this stage, context is as valuable as the material itself. Whenever possible, we ask contributors for key details such as: - the location and date of recording - the approximate depth or environment - the subject matter and purpose of the recording - who created it and under what conditions - whether related material exists elsewhere (field notes, publications, datasets) This is the beginning of what will become the archive's backbone: traceability. ### STEP 2: STABILISING AND SECURING THE ORIGINALS ![Our archivist Jeanne-Alice inspects a film reel on a lightbox — gloves and careful handling protect the original before any digitisation begins.](https://oceanarchive.net/__l5e/assets-v1/2ebea216-e9e4-460b-99b8-3f8e39f843a7/archivist-lightbox-film.jpg) Our archivist Jeanne-Alice inspects a film reel on a lightbox — gloves and careful handling protect the original before any digitisation begins. Photo: Micke Tilja - Ocean Archive Before we digitise anything, we focus on safeguarding what is already there. Physical material can degrade quickly if handled incorrectly. Digital material can be lost due to drive failure, accidental deletion, or outdated file formats. So our first priority is to stabilise the donation and create a secure working environment. For physical items, this means careful handling and storage while we prepare for digitisation. For digital items, it means creating secure copies as early as possible. > "We do not treat donated material as 'content'. We treat it as evidence, and we work accordingly." ### STEP 3: DIGITISATION AND CONVERSION ![A DigitDia 8000 magazine scanner ingests a tray of Kodachrome slides — analogue originals translated into high-resolution archival masters.](https://oceanarchive.net/__l5e/assets-v1/1d5bf621-cb29-43f6-a40d-582cc642652f/digitdia-scanner.jpg) A DigitDia 8000 magazine scanner ingests a tray of Kodachrome slides — analogue originals translated into high-resolution archival masters. Photo: Micke Tilja - Ocean Archive Digitisation is not simply scanning or copying. It is a translation from one era of technology to another. For analogue materials such as slides, prints, negatives, and physical documentation, we digitise to preserve maximum detail while minimising handling. We capture high-resolution master files that can support both future analysis and future storytelling. For born-digital material such as underwater photos, video files, and datasets, we extract and validate the originals, then convert or package them into stable, widely supported formats. This stage often includes: - file integrity checks - duplication of raw originals - creation of archival masters - creation of access versions optimised for viewing and web use The principle is simple: one file for preservation, one file for access. We keep the highest-quality version safe, while also enabling use in education, communication, and outreach. ### STEP 4: METADATA AND TAGGING An archive without metadata is a storage room. Metadata is what turns stored material into usable knowledge. This is where Ocean Archive becomes more than a collection. We add structured information that makes material searchable, interpretable, and meaningful over time. Metadata can include: - creator and contributor credits - date and time (when available) - location (including site names and coordinates where appropriate) - depth, environment, and subject - technical details such as the camera system or sensor type - licensing and usage rights - links to related dives, expeditions, or datasets We also add keywords and categories that support discovery, not only for specialists, but for educators, communicators, and the curious public. > "This is not 'tagging for marketing'. It is long-term documentation. It is how we preserve meaning, not just media." ### STEP 5: EDITORIAL CONTEXT Sometimes the most important information is not visible in the frame. A photograph may show a seafloor landscape, but without context, it can be hard to interpret. A dataset may show a trend, but without repeated observations, it may be unclear whether it is unusual or seasonal. That is why we also add editorial context when needed. This can include short descriptions, background notes, and links to supporting sources. In many cases, we work directly with the contributor to capture what they know while it is still accessible. In other words, we archive not only what was recorded, but why it matters. ### STEP 6: RIGHTS, PERMISSIONS, AND LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP Safeguarding ocean material is also a question of responsibility. We ensure that rights and permissions are clear. Contributors are credited. Licences are documented. Restrictions are respected. This protects both the creator and the archive's integrity. Our goal is to make it easy to contribute, while also ensuring the archive can be used ethically and correctly in the future. ### STEP 7: STORAGE IN A PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL ARCHIVE Ocean Archive is built with a dual structure: physical and digital. Physical originals are stored as long-term assets, not temporary inputs. Hard drives, slides, prints, and other media are preserved with care and with a time horizon that matches the value of the material. Digitised and born-digital content is stored with redundancy and durability in mind. We keep archival masters safe, separate from access versions, and we maintain systems designed to reduce the risk of loss over time. This is where our commitment becomes tangible. ### A 100-YEAR PROMISE Ocean Archive is not designed for the next campaign cycle. It is designed for the next century. When we receive donated material, we promise to safeguard it in its physical form for a timeframe of 100 years from now in mind. That means preserving not only files, but the ability to understand them. Not only media, but meaning. Because the ocean will continue to change. And the future will need evidence of what the sea was, what it became, and how we responded. > "Ocean Archive exists so that knowledge does not sink out of reach."