Indiana University: More Than 25% of Audiovisual Materials in Jeopardy
Media preservation survey details challenges regarding 51 different formats
Lynn Blumenstein -- Library Journal, 10/26/2009
| Go back to the Academic Newswire for more stories |
- Substantial audio, video, film collection in danger
- Centralized preservation, digitization efforts needed
- Extra funding required for ten-year effort
Indiana University (IU) Bloomington has just released a preservation survey that details "the state of audio, video, and film (AVF) holdings on campus" and concludes that much more must be done to preserve those holdings and make them accessible, given that more than 25% of the materials are in jeopardy.
Substantial, varied, and unique collections
An interdepartmental task force of IU archivists worked throughout the 2008-09 academic year, interviewing personnel in 80 separate units.
The survey revealed the breadth and scope of IU’s AVF collections. Some 51 different formats exist, ranging from wax cylinders from the 1890s to current-day digital files. Audio files comprise 64 percent of AVF holdings; video accounts for 22 percent; and film accounts for 14 percent. Some 27 percent of AVF holdings are unique and another 17 percent are rare.
Digital materials are not included in the survey, but they present an additional preservation challenge. Currently, more than 180,000 digital files have been created in IU units, with more being added daily.
Lack of environmental, backup measures
The task force determined that at least 180,000 of IU’s AVF 569,000 recordings are in jeopardy (at high or very high risk) and many could deteriorate in less than 20 years. Only eight percent of AVF holdings have been digitized and few film holdings are kept in appropriate environments.
Only 11 percent of media holdings are backed up by a copy, meaning the original is maintained in the original format and the copy could be in a migrated format. Some 31 percent of media holdings are backed up for archival purposes.
This last figure includes the fact that the large Archives of Traditional Music collection is backed up at an 82 percent rate. Without it, the backup rate drops to 18 percent.
Only five percent of AVF holdings are stored appropriately in the Auxiliary Library Facility, which maintains the correct temperature and humidity. A second facility is currently under construction. Materials held elsewhere are stored in room temperature conditions.
Lack of accessibility
Another important survey finding—incomplete cataloging. Only 50 percent of AVF holdings were discoverable through the university library catalog, IUCAT.
Collections housed in university libraries were found 60 percent of the time while items held elsewhere were found only 38 percent of the time. Film fared the worst; only ten percent of film material was discoverable.
Survey task force recommendations:
- Establish a campus-wide task force to develop a campus-wide preservation plan along with established priorities
- Create a centralized media preservation and digitization center and hire a media preservation specialist and a film archivist
- Develop funds for "massive and rapid digitization" over the next ten years
- Create a centralized and proper storage place film, video, and audio
- Establish campus-wide standards for digitization, preservation, and original media maintenance
- Catalog special collections to improve access
Contact the author: Lynn.LJarticles@gmail.com
Read more Newswire stories:
Collections Are For Use, but Is Wikipedia the Prime Outlet?
Scientific American Price Change Defended; Oberlin Group Not Convinced
No, Abu Dhabi Is Not Paying To Digitize All of NYU's Library Holdings
Open Access Week Highlights Advocacy Efforts Worldwide
Placements & Salaries Survey 2009: Jobs and Pay Take a Hit
Columns:
It Was Nice Knowin’ Ya, Special Branch Library | From the Bell Tower
A Long and Winding Road for Open Access: Are We There Yet? | Peer to Peer Review
LJ Design Institute Dallas
Best Sellers in Literature
