# media migration

> in archival science, copying records from one physical carrier to another

**Wikidata**: [Q117316432](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117316432)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/media-migration

## Summary
Media migration is an archival science process involving the copying of records from one physical carrier to another. It serves as a critical preservation technique to ensure long-term access to information stored on potentially unstable media formats.

## Key Facts
- Media migration is a subclass of data migration.
- Its primary use is preservation of archival records.
- It specifically involves transferring records between physical carriers (e.g., tape to disk, film to digital).
- The Dictionary of Archives Terminology assigns it the ID: media-migration.
- It is distinct from general data migration due to its focus on physical archival media and preservation context.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the main purpose of media migration?
A: The primary purpose of media migration is preservation, ensuring the long-term accessibility and integrity of archival records by copying them from potentially unstable or obsolete physical carriers to more stable formats.

### Q: How is media migration different from data migration?
A: While media migration is a type of data migration, it specifically focuses on the physical carriers used in archival contexts (like tape, film, or optical discs) and is driven by preservation needs rather than just system upgrades or efficiency.

### Q: Why is media migration necessary for archives?
A: Media migration is necessary because physical carriers degrade over time (e.g., tape demagnetization, film decay) and formats become obsolete, risking permanent loss of valuable historical and cultural records if not transferred to more stable media.

### Q: What triggers a media migration project?
A: Media migration is typically triggered by media deterioration, technological obsolescence of the original carrier or playback equipment, or the need to improve access and security through digital formats.

## Why It Matters
Media migration is fundamental to the sustainability of archives, libraries, and museums. It directly addresses the critical problem of media decay and technological obsolescence, which threaten the survival of valuable historical, cultural, and organizational records. By systematically copying records onto more stable and accessible formats, media migration ensures that information remains usable for future generations, supports ongoing research and access, and upholds the core mission of preservation. Without this process, vast amounts of recorded human knowledge and history could become permanently inaccessible.

## Notable For
- Its specific application within archival science, focusing on the physical preservation of records.
- Being a defined subclass of data migration with a distinct preservation-oriented purpose.
- Its formal recognition in the Dictionary of Archives Terminology (ID: media-migration).
- Its role as a core activity within the broader preservation framework for cultural heritage institutions.

## Body
### Definition and Scope
Media migration is defined as the process within archival science of copying records from one physical carrier to another. This activity is explicitly aimed at preservation.

### Classification and Relationships
- **Parent Class:** Media migration is classified as a subclass of data migration.
- **Primary Use:** Its fundamental use is preservation.
- **Related Concept:** It is closely related to the broader class of preservation activities.

### Terminology
- The Dictionary of Archives Terminology provides a specific identifier for this concept: media-migration. This formalizes its place within archival vocabulary.

### Process Context
- Media migration involves the selection, preparation, extraction, transformation, and permanent transfer of records.
- The transfer occurs specifically between different types of physical carriers (e.g., magnetic tape to hard disk, microfilm to digital file).
- The process is undertaken to counteract physical degradation of the original carrier or obsolescence of the format.