Re: [ARSCLIST] CLIR document/ Leader

[Marcos Sueiro <mls2137@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Danny,

This is my understanding as well. I also find that when I find old paper 
leader, it is often brittle, unwieldy and slippery --and a bad friend of 
adhesive, as Tom Fine points out.

However, I admit I do not know how to look or listen for potential problems 
arising from electrostatic charge in leader tape. If anyone has found these 
problems, I think the class would probably like to hear about them.

Marcos

--On Friday, March 31, 2006 4:15 PM -0500 Richard Warren 
<richard.warren@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> As I recall, general wisdom in ARSC suggests that for archives the use of
> NO leader tape at all has always been recommended for tapes to be stored,
> since attaching leader(s) involves the use of splicing tape, another
> material to be avoided as much as possible. Obviously one must deal with
> splices that come in on tapes; but except for attaching leader or blank
> tape temporarily to allow capture of beginnings and endings on recordings
> lacking sufficient unrecorded "slack", why ask for trouble ?
>
> Richard
>
> At 03:56 PM 3/31/2006, you wrote:
>
> > I wonder about the value of the recommendation to â??replace plastic
> > leaders with paper leadersâ?? (Capturing Analog Sound for Digital
> > Preservation; 1.1.2.3.3 Leader).
> >
> > I think that the concern about â??electrostatic chargesâ?? may be
> > overstated (and probably has its origins from another era, perhaps when
> > PVC was used a leader tape base).  Using modern anti-static polyester
> > leader as a â??replacement leaderâ?? (not to mention the high coercivity
> > of magnetic tape in general), makes the electrostatic charges from
> > leader tape issue, I feel, almost negligible.  Video shares many of the
> > same preservation issues as audio and Iâ??m not aware of this â??paper
> > or
> > plasticâ?? question ever coming
> > up in that field; video preservation specialists use polyester leader and
> > have done so successfully for decades.  Is there a distinction between
> > magnetic audio media and magnetic video media (or even data storage tape,
> > another magnetic medium that uses polyester leader) that Iâ??m
> > overlooking that would require paper tape to be used in audio?
> >
> > Certainly too other arguments could be made for not using paper leader:
> > it is less durable than polyester, it will absorb moisture, and
> > -particularly with non-buffered paper, it becomes brittle and therefore
> > may fail to maintain the tension on the tape pack (when tacked down at
> > the head or tail) needed for long term storage.
> >
> > Feel free to set me straight.
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > Danny
> >
> >
> > Daniel Sbardella
> > The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
> > 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
> > New York, NY  10023
> >
> > 212.870.1609



Marcos