rob-e-graham · rob-e-graham · Jul 12, 2026
diff --git a/ARCHAI_v10_8.html b/ARCHAI_v10_8.html
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@
 .od-comment-flag.safe{background:rgba(74,170,119,0.15);color:#4a7;}
 .od-comment-flag.suspicious{background:rgba(200,136,68,0.15);color:#c84;}
 .od-comment-flag.harmful{background:rgba(200,68,68,0.15);color:#c44;}
+.od-comment-flag.verified{background:rgba(74,170,119,0.15);color:#4a7;border:1px solid rgba(74,170,119,0.35);}
 .od-comment-actions-inline{display:flex;gap:6px;margin-left:auto;}
 .od-comment-action-btn{background:none;border:1px solid var(--border2);color:var(--text3);font-family:var(--mono);font-size:0.42rem;padding:2px 8px;cursor:pointer;letter-spacing:1px;text-transform:uppercase;}
 .od-comment-action-btn:hover{border-color:var(--accent2);color:var(--accent2);}
@@ -4470,15 +4471,19 @@
   const hidden = c.status === 'hidden';
   const replies = (c.replies || []).map(r => renderODComment(r, depth + 1)).join('');
 
+  const verified = !!c.verified;
+
   return `<div class="od-comment-item ${flagClass}" style="${hidden ? 'opacity:0.6;' : ''}">
     <div class="od-comment-text">${hidden ? '⚠ ' : ''}${escHTML(c.text)}</div>
     <div class="od-comment-meta">
       <span>${c.author_type || 'visitor'}</span>
       <span>${c.created_at ? new Date(c.created_at).toLocaleDateString() : ''}</span>
       ${c.ai_flag ? `<span class="od-comment-flag ${c.ai_flag}">${c.ai_flag}</span>` : ''}
+      ${verified ? '<span class="od-comment-flag verified" title="Verified oral history">✓ verified</span>' : ''}
       ${c.ai_reason ? `<span style="font-style:italic;">${escHTML(c.ai_reason)}</span>` : ''}
       <span class="od-comment-actions-inline">
         ${hidden ? `<button class="od-comment-action-btn" onclick="odModerateComment('${c.id}','visible')">Approve</button>` : ''}
+        ${!hidden ? `<button class="od-comment-action-btn" onclick="odVerifyComment('${c.id}', ${verified ? 'false' : 'true'})">${verified ? 'Unverify' : 'Verify'}</button>` : ''}
         <button class="od-comment-action-btn remove" onclick="odModerateComment('${c.id}','removed')">Remove</button>
         <button class="od-comment-action-btn" onclick="odReplyTo('${c.id}')">Reply</button>
       </span>
@@ -4497,6 +4502,16 @@
   .then(() => { if (_odCurrentObjectId) odLoadComments(_odCurrentObjectId); });
 }
 
+function odVerifyComment(commentId, verified) {
+  fetch(`${COMMENTS_API}/${commentId}/verify`, {
+    method: 'PATCH',
+    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: JSON.stringify({ verified, moderator: 'curator' }),
+  })
+  .then(r => r.json())
+  .then(() => { if (_odCurrentObjectId) odLoadComments(_odCurrentObjectId); });
+}
+
 function odReplyTo(parentId) {
   const input = document.getElementById('od-comment-input');
   input.focus();
@@ -5208,7 +5223,7 @@
       list.innerHTML = comments.slice(0, 10).map(c => `
         <div class="vpc-item vpc-flag-${c.status === 'approved' ? 'safe' : c.status}">
           <div>${escHTML(c.text)}</div>
-          <div class="vpc-item-meta">${c.author_type} · ${new Date(c.created_at).toLocaleDateString()}</div>
+          <div class="vpc-item-meta">${c.author_type} · ${new Date(c.created_at).toLocaleDateString()}${c.verified ? ' <span class="od-comment-flag verified" title="Verified oral history">✓ verified</span>' : ''}</div>
         </div>`).join('');
     })
     .catch(() => { list.innerHTML = ''; });

diff --git a/REPO_MAP.md b/REPO_MAP.md
@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@ GitHub `main` branch notes and operations guide.
 ### 2. Backend API and proxy
 - `backend-archai/src/server.js` - Express entry point
 - `backend-archai/src/routes/proxy.js` - safe Qdrant/Ollama/curator proxy
-- `backend-archai/src/routes/comments.js` - visitor comment API
+- `backend-archai/src/routes/comments.js` - visitor comment API (+ oral-history verification)
 - `backend-archai/src/services/moderation.js` - AI moderation for comments
+- `backend-archai/src/services/verificationService.js` + `routes/verification.js` - verification tiers (institutional record / verified oral history / community response)
+- `backend-archai/src/services/accessionService.js` + `routes/accession.js` - accession CMS path (verified + approved → CollectiveAccess)
+- `docs/VERIFICATION_AND_ACCESSION.md` - how verification and the accession path work
 - `backend-archai/src/services/curator-vectors.js` - curator vector collection build/search
 - `backend-archai/src/data/db.js` - SQLite persistence layer
 

diff --git a/backend-archai/package.json b/backend-archai/package.json
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     "seed:mock": "node src/pipeline/seedMockData.js",
     "harvest:legal": "node scripts/legal-harvest-bot.js --report",
     "test:smoke": "node scripts/smoke-test-runtime.js",
+    "test:verification": "node scripts/test-verification-accession.js",
     "lint:quick": "node -e \"console.log('No linter configured yet')\""
   },
   "keywords": [

diff --git a/backend-archai/scripts/test-verification-accession.js b/backend-archai/scripts/test-verification-accession.js
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// Standalone checks for the verification layer and accession CMS path.
+// Runs without the database/native deps — it exercises the repo-backed services
+// directly. Point AUX_WORKBENCH_FILE at a throwaway path so the real workbench
+// is never touched.
+//
+//   AUX_WORKBENCH_FILE=$(mktemp) node scripts/test-verification-accession.js
+
+import { repo } from '../src/services/objectRepository.js';
+import { deriveVerification, setVerification, verificationSummary } from '../src/services/verificationService.js';
+import { accessionReadiness, listAccessionQueue, commitAccession } from '../src/services/accessionService.js';
+
+let failed = 0;
+function check(label, cond) {
+  if (cond) {
+    console.log(`OK   ${label}`);
+  } else {
+    failed += 1;
+    console.log(`FAIL ${label}`);
+  }
+}
+
+// ── Verification summary reflects the seeded tiers ───────────────────
+const summary = verificationSummary();
+check('summary counts every object', summary.total === repo.state.objects.length);
+check('summary reports both verified and unverified records', summary.verified > 0 && summary.unverified > 0);
+check('Echo Circuit (in review) reads as unverified',
+  deriveVerification(repo.getObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234')).verified === false);
+check('Synthetic Garden reads as a verified institutional record',
+  deriveVerification(repo.getObject('FAMTEC_2022_0087')).verified === true);
+
+// ── Accession gate: unverified records cannot enter the CMS ──────────
+const echoReadiness = accessionReadiness(repo.getObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234'));
+check('unverified record is blocked from accession',
+  !echoReadiness.ready && echoReadiness.blockers.includes('not_verified'));
+const echoCommit = commitAccession({ objectId: 'FAMTEC_1997_0234', actorEmail: 'curator@famtec.au' });
+check('commitAccession refuses an unverified record (409 + blocker)',
+  echoCommit.error && echoCommit.status === 409 && echoCommit.blockers.includes('not_verified'));
+
+// ── Accession queue holds verified + approved, not-yet-accessioned ───
+const queue = listAccessionQueue();
+check('born-digital ARCHAI demonstrator is queued for accession',
+  queue.some((r) => r.objectId === 'FAMTEC_2026_ARCHAI_WEB'));
+check('already-accessioned record is not queued',
+  !queue.some((r) => r.objectId === 'FAMTEC_2022_0087'));
+
+// ── Committing a queued record assigns an accession number + CMS id ──
+const before = repo.getObject('FAMTEC_2026_ARCHAI_WEB');
+check('queued record starts with no CMS id', !before.source?.collectiveAccessId);
+const commit = commitAccession({ objectId: 'FAMTEC_2026_ARCHAI_WEB', actorEmail: 'curator@famtec.au' });
+check('commitAccession succeeds for a ready record', Boolean(commit.accession) && !commit.error);
+check('accession number matches FAMTEC.YYYY.NNNN',
+  /^FAMTEC\.\d{4}\.\d{4}$/.test(commit.accession?.accessionNumber || ''));
+check('CMS record id is written back onto source.collectiveAccessId',
+  repo.getObject('FAMTEC_2026_ARCHAI_WEB').source.collectiveAccessId === commit.accession.cmsRecordId);
+check('re-committing an accessioned record is blocked',
+  commitAccession({ objectId: 'FAMTEC_2026_ARCHAI_WEB' }).blockers?.includes('already_accessioned'));
+
+// ── Full path: verify → approve → accession a previously blocked record
+setVerification({ objectId: 'FAMTEC_1997_0234', tier: 'institutional_record', verified: true, actorEmail: 'curator@famtec.au' });
+check('setVerification flips Echo Circuit to verified',
+  deriveVerification(repo.getObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234')).verified === true);
+check('still blocked while workflow is not approved/published',
+  accessionReadiness(repo.getObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234')).blockers.includes('workflow_review'));
+repo.updateObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234', { workflow: { state: 'approved', updatedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', updatedAt: new Date().toISOString() } });
+// Echo Circuit already carries a legacy CMS id, so it is treated as accessioned;
+// clearing it lets us prove the verify → approve → commit path end to end.
+repo.updateObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234', {
+  source: { ...repo.getObject('FAMTEC_1997_0234').source, collectiveAccessId: null },
+  accession: { status: 'not_accessioned', accessionNumber: null, cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: null, accessionedBy: null, accessionedAt: null, notes: '' },
+});
+const echoCommit2 = commitAccession({ objectId: 'FAMTEC_1997_0234', actorEmail: 'curator@famtec.au' });
+check('verified + approved record now accessions successfully',
+  Boolean(echoCommit2.accession) && !echoCommit2.error);
+
+if (failed) {
+  console.error(`\n${failed} verification/accession check(s) failed.`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+console.log('\nAll verification/accession checks passed.');
diff --git a/backend-archai/src/data/db.js b/backend-archai/src/data/db.js
@@ -29,16 +29,29 @@ if (!tableExists) {
       status TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'visible',
       ai_flag TEXT DEFAULT NULL,
       ai_reason TEXT DEFAULT NULL,
+      verified INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
+      verified_by TEXT DEFAULT NULL,
+      verified_at TEXT DEFAULT NULL,
       created_at TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT (datetime('now')),
       moderated_at TEXT DEFAULT NULL,
       moderated_by TEXT DEFAULT NULL
     );
   `);
-} else {
-  // Migrate: add parent_id if missing
-  const cols = db.prepare("PRAGMA table_info(comments)").all().map(c => c.name);
-  if (!cols.includes('parent_id')) {
-    db.exec('ALTER TABLE comments ADD COLUMN parent_id TEXT DEFAULT NULL');
+}
+
+// Bring pre-existing databases up to the current schema. A community memory can
+// be confirmed by a curator into a verified oral history, so comments carry the
+// same verification line that object records do.
+{
+  const cols = db.prepare('PRAGMA table_info(comments)').all().map((c) => c.name);
+  const migrations = [
+    ['parent_id', "ALTER TABLE comments ADD COLUMN parent_id TEXT DEFAULT NULL"],
+    ['verified', "ALTER TABLE comments ADD COLUMN verified INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0"],
+    ['verified_by', "ALTER TABLE comments ADD COLUMN verified_by TEXT DEFAULT NULL"],
+    ['verified_at', "ALTER TABLE comments ADD COLUMN verified_at TEXT DEFAULT NULL"],
+  ];
+  for (const [name, ddl] of migrations) {
+    if (!cols.includes(name)) db.exec(ddl);
   }
 }
 

diff --git a/backend-archai/src/data/mockObjects.js b/backend-archai/src/data/mockObjects.js
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ export const mockObjects = [
     prohibitedStatements: ['Invented artist biography', 'Unsupported claims about emotions of visitors'],
     restrictions: [],
     workflow: { state: 'published', updatedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', updatedAt },
+    verification: { tier: 'institutional_record', verified: true, verifiedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', verifiedAt: updatedAt, method: 'institutional_source', notes: '' },
+    accession: { status: 'accessioned', accessionNumber: 'FAMTEC.2022.0087', cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: 'ca_1008', accessionedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', accessionedAt: updatedAt, notes: '' },
     updatedAt,
   },
   {
@@ -47,6 +49,8 @@ export const mockObjects = [
     prohibitedStatements: ['Claims of consciousness', 'Unsupported personal memories'],
     restrictions: [],
     workflow: { state: 'published', updatedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', updatedAt },
+    verification: { tier: 'institutional_record', verified: true, verifiedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', verifiedAt: updatedAt, method: 'institutional_source', notes: '' },
+    accession: { status: 'accessioned', accessionNumber: 'FAMTEC.2018.0001', cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: 'ca_1001', accessionedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', accessionedAt: updatedAt, notes: '' },
     updatedAt,
   },
   {
@@ -70,6 +74,8 @@ export const mockObjects = [
     prohibitedStatements: ['Claims of exact hardware equivalence without testing'],
     restrictions: [],
     workflow: { state: 'review', updatedBy: 'collections@famtec.au', updatedAt },
+    verification: { tier: 'institutional_record', verified: false, verifiedBy: null, verifiedAt: null, method: null, notes: 'Provenance still under curatorial review.' },
+    accession: { status: 'accessioned', accessionNumber: 'FAMTEC.1997.0234', cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: 'ca_1051', accessionedBy: 'collections@famtec.au', accessionedAt: updatedAt, notes: 'Legacy accession; verification pending.' },
     updatedAt,
   },
   {
@@ -93,6 +99,8 @@ export const mockObjects = [
     prohibitedStatements: ['Attribution to historical broadcasts not documented'],
     restrictions: [],
     workflow: { state: 'approved', updatedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', updatedAt },
+    verification: { tier: 'institutional_record', verified: true, verifiedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', verifiedAt: updatedAt, method: 'institutional_source', notes: '' },
+    accession: { status: 'accessioned', accessionNumber: 'FAMTEC.2019.0051', cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: 'ca_1019', accessionedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', accessionedAt: updatedAt, notes: '' },
     updatedAt,
   },
   {
@@ -116,6 +124,8 @@ export const mockObjects = [
     prohibitedStatements: ['Claims that the archived capture is the current production system'],
     restrictions: [],
     workflow: { state: 'published', updatedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', updatedAt },
+    verification: { tier: 'institutional_record', verified: true, verifiedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', verifiedAt: updatedAt, method: 'institutional_source', notes: 'Institution-owned capture approved.' },
+    accession: { status: 'not_accessioned', accessionNumber: null, cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: null, accessionedBy: null, accessionedAt: null, notes: 'Born-digital capture verified and awaiting accession into CollectiveAccess.' },
     updatedAt,
   },
   {
@@ -139,6 +149,8 @@ export const mockObjects = [
     prohibitedStatements: ['Claims that the archived capture is a museum-owned collection record'],
     restrictions: [],
     workflow: { state: 'published', updatedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', updatedAt },
+    verification: { tier: 'institutional_record', verified: true, verifiedBy: 'curator@famtec.au', verifiedAt: updatedAt, method: 'institutional_source', notes: 'Institution-owned capture approved.' },
+    accession: { status: 'not_accessioned', accessionNumber: null, cmsTarget: 'collectiveaccess', cmsRecordId: null, accessionedBy: null, accessionedAt: null, notes: 'Born-digital capture verified and awaiting accession into CollectiveAccess.' },
     updatedAt,
   },
 ];

diff --git a/backend-archai/src/policies/roleCapabilities.js b/backend-archai/src/policies/roleCapabilities.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 export const roleCapabilities = {
   admin: ['*'],
-  curator: ['objects.read', 'objects.write', 'workflow.transition', 'nfc.publish', 'media.publish', 'vocab.read', 'search', 'export'],
-  collections: ['objects.read', 'objects.write-limited', 'upload.queue', 'workflow.submit-review', 'vocab.read', 'search'],
+  curator: ['objects.read', 'objects.write', 'workflow.transition', 'verification.set', 'accession.commit', 'nfc.publish', 'media.publish', 'vocab.read', 'search', 'export'],
+  collections: ['objects.read', 'objects.write-limited', 'upload.queue', 'workflow.submit-review', 'accession.read', 'vocab.read', 'search'],
   technician: ['nodel.read', 'runtime.read', 'media.validate', 'objects.read-tech'],
   volunteer: ['objects.read', 'notes.create', 'visitor.preview'],
   visitor: ['nfc.public', 'chat.object', 'comments.create'],

diff --git a/backend-archai/src/routes/accession.js b/backend-archai/src/routes/accession.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { Router } from 'express';
+import { z } from 'zod';
+import { requireRole } from '../middleware/requireRole.js';
+import { repo } from '../services/objectRepository.js';
+import { listAccessionQueue, accessionReadiness, commitAccession } from '../services/accessionService.js';
+
+export const accessionRouter = Router();
+
+const commitSchema = z.object({
+  objectId: z.string().min(1),
+  notes: z.string().optional().default(''),
+});
+
+// Records that are verified + approved and waiting to enter the archival CMS.
+accessionRouter.get('/queue', requireRole('collections'), (_req, res) => {
+  res.json({ ok: true, queue: listAccessionQueue() });
+});
+
+// Accession readiness (and blockers) for a single record.
+accessionRouter.get('/:id', requireRole('collections'), (req, res) => {
+  const record = repo.getObject(req.params.id);
+  if (!record) return res.status(404).json({ ok: false, error: 'Object not found' });
+  res.json({ ok: true, objectId: record.id, ...accessionReadiness(record) });
+});
+
+// Commit a record into the archival CMS. Gated: verified + approved only.
+accessionRouter.post('/commit', requireRole('curator'), (req, res) => {
+  const input = commitSchema.parse(req.body || {});
+  const result = commitAccession({ ...input, actorEmail: req.archai.user.email });
+  if (result.error) {
+    return res.status(result.status || 400).json({ ok: false, error: result.error, blockers: result.blockers });
+  }
+  res.json({ ok: true, ...result });
+});
diff --git a/backend-archai/src/routes/comments.js b/backend-archai/src/routes/comments.js
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ const updateStatus = db.prepare(`
   UPDATE comments SET status = ?, moderated_at = datetime('now'), moderated_by = ? WHERE id = ?
 `);
 
+const verifyComment = db.prepare(`
+  UPDATE comments
+  SET verified = ?, verified_by = ?, verified_at = CASE WHEN ? = 1 THEN datetime('now') ELSE NULL END
+  WHERE id = ?
+`);
+
 const getStats = db.prepare(`
   SELECT status, ai_flag, COUNT(*) as count FROM comments GROUP BY status, ai_flag
 `);
@@ -142,6 +148,18 @@ commentsRouter.patch('/:id', (req, res) => {
   res.json({ ok: true, updated: req.params.id, status });
 });
 
+// ── Curator: confirm a community memory as a verified oral history ─
+// This is the comment-side of the verification line: a visible community
+// response becomes a verified oral history, and carries a verified marker on
+// the public "love" pages so the two tiers stay visibly distinct.
+commentsRouter.patch('/:id/verify', (req, res) => {
+  const verified = req.body?.verified === false ? 0 : 1;
+  const moderator = req.body?.moderator || 'curator';
+  const result = verifyComment.run(verified, verified ? moderator : null, verified, req.params.id);
+  if (result.changes === 0) return res.status(404).json({ ok: false, error: 'Comment not found' });
+  res.json({ ok: true, updated: req.params.id, verified: Boolean(verified) });
+});
+
 // ── Curator: which objects have comments ─────────────────────────
 commentsRouter.get('/objects', (_req, res) => {
   const rows = getObjectsWithComments.all();

diff --git a/backend-archai/src/routes/index.js b/backend-archai/src/routes/index.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import { integrationsRouter } from './integrations.js';
 import { commentsRouter } from './comments.js';
 import { mediaRouter } from './media.js';
 import { workflowsRouter } from './workflows.js';
+import { verificationRouter } from './verification.js';
+import { accessionRouter } from './accession.js';
 import { webhooksRouter } from './webhooks/index.js';
 import { proxyRouter } from './proxy.js';
 
@@ -34,5 +36,7 @@ apiRouter.use('/integrations', integrationsRouter);
 apiRouter.use('/comments', commentsRouter);
 apiRouter.use('/media', mediaRouter);
 apiRouter.use('/workflows', workflowsRouter);
+apiRouter.use('/verification', verificationRouter);
+apiRouter.use('/accession', accessionRouter);
 apiRouter.use('/webhooks', webhooksRouter);
 apiRouter.use('/proxy', proxyRouter);