JPEG 2000: guide for digital libraries

Purpose The joint photographic experts group (JPEG) 2000 image compression system is being used for cultural heritage preservation. The authors are aware of over a dozen of big memory institutions worldwide using this format. This paper aims to review and explain choices for end users to help resolve trade-offs that these users are likely to encounter in practice. Design/methodology/approach The JPEG 2000 format is quite complex and therefore sometimes considered as a preservation risk. A lossy compression is governed by a number of parameters that control compression speed and rate-distortion trade-off. Their inappropriate adjustment may fairly easily lead to sub-optimal compression performance. This paper provides general guidelines for selecting the most appropriate parameters for a specific application. Findings This paper serves as a guide for the preservation of digital heritage in cultural heritage institutions, including libraries, archives and museums. Originality/value This paper serves as a guide for the preservation of digital heritage in cultural heritage institutions, including libraries, archives and museums.