ArchivesSpace - 3Play Media Integration and Automation

Common Integration Use Cases Between ArchivesSpace and 3Play Media

ArchivesSpace is a collections management and archival description platform used by libraries, museums, universities, and cultural institutions to manage finding aids, accession records, and archival metadata. 3Play Media provides transcription, captioning, subtitling, audio description, and media accessibility services. Together, they can support richer access to archival audio and video collections, improve discoverability, and streamline media accessibility workflows.

1. Attach transcripts and captions to archival audiovisual records

Data flow: 3Play Media to ArchivesSpace

When archival audio or video items are sent to 3Play Media for transcription or captioning, the completed transcript, caption file, or subtitle file can be returned and linked to the corresponding digital object record in ArchivesSpace. This gives archivists and researchers direct access to text-based content from within the archival description.

Business value: Improves access to audiovisual holdings, supports researcher discovery, and reduces manual file handling by archival staff.

2. Send newly digitized media from ArchivesSpace for accessibility processing

Data flow: ArchivesSpace to 3Play Media

When a new audiovisual collection is digitized and cataloged in ArchivesSpace, the system can trigger a workflow to send the media file or media reference to 3Play Media for transcription, captioning, or subtitling. This is especially useful for institutions that need to make oral histories, lectures, interviews, or event recordings accessible as soon as they are processed.

Business value: Shortens turnaround time for making collections accessible and reduces coordination between archival and accessibility teams.

3. Synchronize transcript metadata back into archival descriptions

Data flow: 3Play Media to ArchivesSpace

After transcription is completed, key transcript metadata such as speaker names, timestamps, language, and file status can be pushed into ArchivesSpace notes or component records. This helps archivists enrich finding aids with searchable context and improves the quality of collection descriptions.

Business value: Enhances metadata quality, supports better search results, and reduces duplicate data entry.

4. Automate accessibility compliance tracking for media collections

Data flow: Bi-directional

ArchivesSpace can serve as the source of record for audiovisual assets requiring accessibility services, while 3Play Media can return processing status, completion dates, and deliverable types. Institutions can use this integration to track which media items have transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions and which still require processing.

Business value: Improves compliance reporting, helps prioritize backlog work, and gives managers visibility into accessibility coverage across collections.

5. Support public access portals with transcript-enabled discovery

Data flow: ArchivesSpace to 3Play Media, then 3Play Media to ArchivesSpace

ArchivesSpace can identify media items intended for public access, and 3Play Media can generate transcripts or captions that are then published alongside the archival record. This enables users to search within spoken content, making oral histories, lectures, and recorded events more usable for researchers, students, and the public.

Business value: Increases engagement with digital collections and improves accessibility for users who rely on text-based access.

6. Route multilingual archival media for translation and subtitling

Data flow: ArchivesSpace to 3Play Media

For collections containing non-English recordings or materials intended for international audiences, ArchivesSpace can flag items for translation and subtitling services. 3Play Media can return translated subtitles or transcripts that are linked to the archival record, supporting broader access across language groups.

Business value: Expands audience reach, supports multilingual research needs, and reduces manual coordination for translation projects.

7. Create a preservation and access workflow for oral history projects

Data flow: Bi-directional

Oral history projects often require both archival description and accessibility deliverables. ArchivesSpace can manage the collection record, interview metadata, and access restrictions, while 3Play Media provides transcripts and captions for each interview. Status updates from 3Play Media can be written back to ArchivesSpace so project teams know which interviews are complete, pending review, or ready for publication.

Business value: Streamlines end-to-end oral history processing, improves project coordination, and ensures consistent access delivery.

8. Improve staff efficiency for large-scale media backlogs

Data flow: ArchivesSpace to 3Play Media

Institutions with large legacy audiovisual backlogs can use ArchivesSpace to identify priority collections, export item lists, and send batches to 3Play Media for transcription and captioning. Returned files and completion data can be matched back to the original records, allowing teams to process collections in a controlled, repeatable way.

Business value: Reduces manual project tracking, supports batch processing, and helps institutions scale archival access work more efficiently.