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Re: [ARSCLIST] Advice sought on assessing value of sound archives
If you want a non-professional's opinion the value of a recording is
whatever someone would pay for it, were it for sale. Whatever you could
agree to.
In the case of insurance, perhaps the funds available would be better spent
with digital backups stored off site, perhaps several sites. ITmight be
worth your time to investigate how a museum values and insures an unique
item, such as a rare painting or sculpture that could never be replaced.
Joe Salerno
Video Works! Is it working for you?
PO Box 273405 - Houston TX 77277-3405
http://joe.salerno.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alec McLane" <amclane@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 4:58 PM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Advice sought on assessing value of sound archives
> I'm cross-posting this to a couple of lists, so apologies for duplication.
>
> We are undergoing a change in insurance coverage at our institution and
are
> faced with the task of assessing the value of our library collections in
> general. While published material is difficult enough to appraise when
it's
> old, it would seem nearly impossible to assess value for a sound
recordings
> archive such as the World Music Archive at Wesleyan, which consists almost
> entirely of unique field recordings.
>
> There is some literature on this - I'm aware of Helen Harrison's RAMP
study
> from 1987 - but I would like also to hear from fellow archivists who have
> been through this before. Several obvious questions come to mind:
>
> - What value can be ascribed to something on the basis of uniqueness, when
> it cannot be re-acquired at any price?
>
> - In a digital age, when an archive can make multiple identical copies of
> recordings and the original is effectively retired from use, do the copies
> have value beyond the cost of the physical material? Is the value of the
> original diminished in any way, since it may no longer be necessary except
> in an emergency? Is the value of a copy increased as the original
> deteriorates and becomes unplayable?
>
> - In the absence of "market demand" for original recordings such as these,
> to what extent can value be determined at an academic institution by the
> usefulness of the recording to the curriculum or to researchers?
>
> I'd also be happy to hear answers to more basic questions - such as what
> did you read and whom did you talk to when undergoing such an assessment?
> Please reply to me off list if you wish, and thanks in advance.
>
> Alec McLane
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Alec McLane
> Scores & Recordings/
> World Music Archives Phone: (860) 685-3899
> Olin Library Fax: (860) 685-2661
> Wesleyan University mailto:amclane@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Middletown, CT 06459 http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/srhome/srdir.htm