Re: [ARSCLIST] Vinyl use and access policies

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Lisa:

If it were me, I'd have a 2-step process. First, determine if an album has been re-issued on CD and 
if it's currently in print. If so, I'd think it's OK for trained staffers to make regular use of the 
LP, although it would be nice to get the funding to put the CD into circulation.

For LPs out of print and not reissued, I strong recommend digitizing and have active listening be 
done from the digital files (which should also be archived on gold CDR's). No matter how careful 
people are with a record, ANY playing of a stylus degrades the vinyl. Given the cost of laser 
turntables, I think it's more practical to spend those funds on mass-digitization.

Given the current trends with commercial music, I think it is unlikely that music recordings not in 
the mainstream (an ever shrinking lowest common denominator, in this man's opinion) will be 
commercially available again, particularly if they are long out of print since a bean-counter at a 
mega-glomerate may have elected to toss the master tapes. So, I think it's wise to treat out of 
print LPs with great care and reverence. If they are in good condition, make a digital transfer and 
smile about your good fortune to still have a nice-playing disk.

One man's opinion, etc.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisa Colaianne" <lcolaian@xxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2006 10:16 AM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Vinyl use and access policies


Please excuse the newbie posting -- I hope I don't come off as too
uninformed. I'm a grad student at the University of Maryland working on a
field study at the Maryland Historical Society. I'm working with a
collection of about 2,500 gospel records, most of which are vinyl LPs.
I've been tasked with determining industry standards and making
suggestions for processing the collection.

This list and many of your websites have been very helpful in tracking
down related readings. My subsequent intention is to recommend direct use
of the LPs handled only by staff, with digitization done on an as needed
basis (instead of digitizing the entire collection in advance). What I
would really like to know is how similar collections are providing access
to researchers and the equipment in use. I'm particularly interested in
access policies (number of uses, handling procedure), when and why you
digitize, and any and all equipment in use including playback, listening
stations, and digitization (and perhaps some links to dealers?).

Thanks very much in advance,
Lisa Colaianne
UofM student