Granularity of digital objects The Library’s digital objects vary in their complexity. Most are single image files with associated metadata but others may be multiple images making up the pages of a diary plus a transcript and the metadata. Kebbell & Campbell, National Library of New Zealand, have categorised objects as simple, group or complex. In their model “a simple object consists of a single file that is intended to be viewed as one conceptual object”. A “digital object group consists of a set of independent but related files that have been collectively described” while a “complex digital object consists of a group of dependent files intended to be viewed as a single conceptual object”.
The vast majority of digital objects in the DAMS will be simple objects with item-level descriptions. Generally subordinate parts of a single digital object will not be described in individual metadata records
(Wilson et al., 2007)