3D Data

3D data forms an integral part of all 3D software. The most familiar is probably the 3D model, a digital object which encodes information about the representation of an object in 3D space. By interpreting the geometry and material data contained in the 3D model file, 3D software is able to construct a virtual representation of it.

From an XR preservation perspective, 3D data typically forms a part of larger set of source materials (e.g. a game engine project) which are used to build the 3D software. As detailed in Preservation Strategies, maintaining long-term access to these source materials is not always feasible. It may therefore be desirable to preserve the 3D data independently of the project files — or at least understand what the implications of the formats used are. On this page you will find links to publications, presentations and initiatives/projects relating to the topic of 3D data preservation.

Publications

Ann Whiteside, Stephen Abrams, Sara Rogers, Kathlyn Kao & Hanan Kataw. Building for Tomorrow White Paper (Version 1.0). Harvard University Graduate School of Design, 2021. URL: https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/building_for_tomorrow_whitepaper_version_1.0-final2.pdf

Artefactual Systems & Digital Preservation Coalition. Preserving 3D. Digital Preservation Coalition, 2021. URL: https://doi.org/10.7207/twgn21-14

Jennifer Moore, Adam Rountrey & Hannah Scates Kettler. 3D Data Creation to Curation: Community Standards for 3D Data Preservation. Association of College and Research Libraries, American Library Association, 2022. URL: https://www.ala.org/sites/default/files/acrl/content/publications/booksanddigitalresources/digital/9780838939147_3D_OA.pdf

Jennifer Grayburn, Zack Lischer-Katz, Kristina Golubiewski-Davis & Veronica Ikeshoji-Orlati [eds]. 3D/VR in the Academic Library: Emerging Practices and Trends. CLIR, 2019. URL: https://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub176/

Juliet Hardesty, Jennifer Johnson, Jamie Wittenberg, et al. 3D Data Repository Features, Best Practices, and Implications for Preservation Models: Findings from a National Forum. College & Research Libraries, 2020, 789. URL: https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.81.5.789

Nicola Amico & Achille Felicetti. 3D Data Long-Term Preservation in Cultural Heritage. Preprint, arXiv, 2 October 2024. URL: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.04507

Michelle Lindlar, Michael Panitz, and Ujwal Gadiraju. Ingest and Storage of 3D Objects in a Digital Preservation System. 31 January 2015. URL: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1115512

Pierre Alliez, Laurent Bergerot, Jean-François Bernard, et al. Digital 3D Objects in Art and Humanities: Challenges of Creation, Interoperability and Preservation. White Paper. 2017 URL: https://inria.hal.science/hal-01526713

Tara Carlisle, Robert McDonald, Jennifer Johnson, et al. Supporting Virtual Reality and 3D in Academic Libraries. iPRES 2019 Conference Proceedings, 2019. URL: https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1080495

Presentations and Events

Born to Be 3D: Digital Stewardship of Intrinsic 3D Data. The Library of Congress, 2018 . URL: https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/meetings/b2b3d/b2b3d2018.html

Nathan Hall & Jamie Wittenberg. Developing Library Strategy for 3D and Virtual Reality Collection Development and Reuse (LIB3DVR). Coalition for Networked Information, 2018. URL: https://www.cni.org/topics/assessment/developing-library-strategy-for-3d-and-virtual-reality-collection-development-and-reuse

Digital 3D objects in Art and Humanities: challenges of creation, interoperability and preservation. PARTHENOS Consortium, 2016. URL: https://www.canal-u.tv/chaines/huma-num/parthenos-3d-ws-presentations