Anna Kuure-Kinseyannak3@illinois.edu

Graduate School of Library and Information SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States of America

Abstract Storage Conditions

Inaccessible Information: The Information Silos of Media

The Bigger Picture: International Implications

Technologies for Preservation and Access

References

New technologies hold possibilities for increased access to archival items, but this is not so for media items. Multiple factors contribute to public inaccessibility of media items.

v Multiple media formatsv Technologies for preservation and accessv Storage conditionsv Funds and other resources

Inequalities of access mirror other, older inequalities on a global scale, with geographic location and monetary resources being key barriers to preservation and access.

Becker, S. (2007). See and save: Balancing access and preservation for ephemeral moving images. Spectator 27(1),

21-28.

Brylawski, S., Lerman, M., Pike, R., & Smith, K. (Eds.). (2015). ARSC guide to audio preservation. Eugene, OR:

Association for Recorded Sound Collections; Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information

Resources; Washington, DC: National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress.

Byers, F.R. (2003) Care and handling of CDs and DVDs: A guide for librarians and archivists. Washington, DC:

Council on Library and Information Resources. Gaithersburg, MD: National Institute of Standards and

Technology.

CDP Digital Audio Working Group. (October 2006). Digital audio best practices version 2.1. Retrieved from

http://sustainableheritagenetwork.org/digital-heritage/digital-audio-best-practices-version-21

Edmondson, R. (April 2004). Audiovisual archiving: Philosophy and principles. Paris: United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Greene, M. A., & Meissner, D. (2005). More product, less process: Revamping traditional archival processing. The

American Archivist, 68. 208-263.

Jimenez, M., & Platt, L. (2004). Videotape identification and assessment guide. Austin, TX: Texas Commission on the

Arts. Retrieved from http://www.arts.texas.gov/

Jones, J. (2008). Audiovisual preservation on a shoestring budget: A bag of tricks for the underfunded collections

manager, part 1 (Technical Insert No. 152). Champaign, IL: Illinois Heritage Association.

Jones, J. (Lecture, September 8, 2016)

NFPF (National Film Preservation Foundation). (2004). The film preservation guide: The basics for archives,

libraries, and museums. San Francisco, CA: National Film Preservation Foundation.

Ranger, J. (2012, August 1). What’s your product: Assessing the suitability of a More Product, Less Process

methodology for processing audiovisual collections. Audiovisual Preservation Solutions. [Web log Post].

Retrieved from https://www.avpreserve.com/papers-and-presentations/whats-your-product-assessing-the-

suitability-of-a-more-product-less-process-methodology-for-processing-audiovisual-collections/

Wheeler, J. (2002). Videotape preservation handbook. 1-28. Association of Moving Image Archivists.

Wheeler, J., (with Brothers, P.) (n.d.). Videotape preservation fact sheets. Hollywood, CA: Association of Moving

Image Archivists.

Preservation

Audio and Video (Wheeler, 2002; CDP Digital Audio Working Group, 2006; Jones, 2016)v Time base correctorv Audio mixerv Analog to digital converterv Waveform monitorv Color barsv Vectorscopev Computer monitor, cables, hard drive

Film (NFPF, 2004)v Loupe and lightbox, or film viewer v Rewinds v Splicing toolsv Film cores, containersv Footage counterv Film cleaner, rulerv Flatbed editing tablev Tabletop sound readerv Wet-gate printerv Optical printerv Digital restoration softwarev Redimensioning chemical treatments

Viewing

v Some media formats can only be played on specific players originally designed to play a certain carrier format, others can be played on multiple players

v Knowledge, tools, and parts needed to repair broken machines

v Many players no longer commercially available, archivists rely on hobbyists to construct new machines or buy used items (Jones, 2008)

Examples (Brylawski et al, 2015; Jimenez & Platt, 2004; NFPF, 2004)v Grooved discs: Turntables v Magnetic tape: Playback decks are

format specificv Video cassette: Playback machines are

format specificv Film: Projection equipment is film gauge

specific

v Archives in hotter, more humid locations need to spend more time, effort, funds, and equipment on climate controlled storage for items, compared to countries with cooler and less humid climates• Increases difficulty of both preservation and access in these countries

v Users in different countries do not have same means or knowledge to access different media formats• What form or forms of access best serves local users?• Streaming? DVD? VHS?

v Differences in copyright laws over time and in different countries can present legal issues regarding access and preservation (NFPF, 2004)

v Funding, access to digitization and playback equipment may vary systematically across different countries or continents

v Lack of adequate training programs in all countries (Edmondson, 2004)• Many media archivists are self-taught • Many training programs located in 1st world countries

Cool, dry, storage environment, with low relative humidity is best for preservation of various media formats

Audio (Byers, 2003; Brylawski et al., 2015)

v Optical media: CDs and DVDs • 10º to 20º C (50º to 68º F)• Relative humidity: 30-50%

v Other audio formats• 8º to 12º C (46º to 53ºF) • Relative humidity: 25-35%

Video (NFPF, 2004)

v Videotape (analog and digital) • 4º to 12º C (40º to 54º F)• Relative humidity: 30-50%

Audio (Brylawski, Lerman, Pike, & Smith, 2015)

Cylindersv Wax v Celluloid

Grooved Discv Shellac v Vinyl v Lacquerv 78, 45, 33

Magnetic Tape v Open reelv 8-track v Compact cassettev Microcassettev DATv Sony MiniDisc

Analog Video (Wheeler, n.d.)Various tape widths, either cassette or open reel format, from multiple companiesv Sony Betacamv S-VHSv Hi-8v VHS

Digital Video (Wheeler, n.d.)Various tape widths, thicknesses, manufactured by different companiesv D5v DVCProv DCTv Digital Betacamv DVv MiniDVv DVCAM

Film (NFPF, 2004)

v Commercial films v Home movies

Film Gaugesv 35mmv 16mmv Regular 8mmv Super 8mm

Film Stockv Nitratev Acetatev Polyester

• Black & white• Color

Grinnell College: An Example of Inaccessible Resources

Grinnell College Archival Media Items

v Small liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, United Statesv Collection of archival concerts that are not fully accessible to current students or alumni

• Not fully cataloged• Not on accessible formats

v Concerts are from the 1980’s to the mid 2000’s and are on DATs or cassette tapesv Between 400-500 DATs, containing about as many concerts, from 1900’s to mid 2000’sv In 2013 the College began to digitize these archival concerts to make them accessible to studentsv Grinnell College does not have the staff time or other resources to digitize both DAT and cassette tape

archival concerts at oncev DATs have priority in digitization

• More unstable format (Brylawski et al., 2015)• More inaccessible to students, because they require a rarer player

Digitization Process

v Cataloging of concertsv Digitization occurs off-site with a commercial companyv CD access copies and preservation masters on hard drives returned to Grinnell Collegev CDs integrated into collection, students can access materials

Funding and Other ResourcesFunding

v Lack of funding for archivesv Lack of recognition of cultural and historical value of media items (Becker, 2007)

Other Resources

v Backlogs in many archives, streamlined approach needed to process them (Green & Meissner, 2005)v Streamlined intake process does not work well for audiovisual items

• Intake and preservation processes often involve playing the items to determine content and extend of damages (Ranger, 2012)

• Digitization requires full play through of item, with quality control monitoringv Audio-visual collections therefore require more processing than other types of collections

Multiple Media Formats

Film (NFPF, 2004)

v Nitrate film (no sound track)• 0º to 4º C (32º to 40º F)• Relative humidity: 30-50%

v Acetate film (no sound track)• 0º to 4º C (32º to 40º F)• Relative humidity: 30-50%

v Polyester film (black & white, color)• 0º to 4º C (32º to 40º F)• Relative humidity: 30-50%

v Film with sound track• 4º to 12º C (40º to 54º F)• Relative humidity: 30-50%