Format identification in context: patterns & hazards in digital preservation workflows

Format identification is crucial for digital preservation, yet because of its complexities it is inconsistently implemented in our workflows. This paper shares findings from the “Registries of Good Practice” project and preservation practices collated by the Preservation Registries Special Interest Group. Analysing diverse institutional workflows, we demonstrate how preservation goals, institutional capacities, and specific preservation stages dictated identification requirements. This paper emphasizes the need to connect disparate practices and establish evidence-based improvements for format identification.