Re: [ARSCLIST] [AV Media Matters] FW: Starting an Audio Collection

[stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Okeh...this is a non-professional reply (both as a sound archivist and a
regular client of library systems) to what appears to be a professional
question.

1) What type of a clientele do you expect, and are they allowed to
use the library contents on a loan basis away from the facility?
The first part of this will essentially define the materials you place in
your collection, and the second in what format. Obviously, your
mandate is determined (or should be) to a great extent by your user
base, and to a lesser extent by the intent of your institution. You have
to include material that is in demand by your users, but also falls
within your basic function; thus a regular public library collection
has to include popular-hit material, while a music library can
include more esoteric content. The format is defined by, first,
accessibility (thus primarily CD's at this point) and second,
(if on loan) durability and useful life under worst-case conditions
(you have no way of knowing what it will be played on!)

2) What is (or what do you perceive) as the mandate of your
institution? Do you have an archival function (in which case you
aim for completeness within your defined field, possibly including
one-off privately-recorded material)? If so, what are you planning
to archive (define the subset of sound recordings you feel suitable,
from "anything" to "recordings made during the following period
by the following individuals")

3) Having answered #2, in what form are these available (or
have they been offered to you, or do you have them?) If this is
not a "user-friendly" form, or not a durable form, do you have
(or intend to have) facilities for re-recording them in a more
suitable format?

Now, the facilities (space and equipment) will be defined by your
answers to the above questions. I'll leave it to the professionals to
provide figures as far as spece needed, number of listening stations
per predicted client level, and the like.

Now the experts can take over...
Steven C. Barr