ALA preconference on audio preservation

The Transformation of Recorded Sound Preservation in the Digital Age
Preconference to the ALA Annual Conference, Washington, DC
Friday, June 26, 1998
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
[To be held at the National Archives Building Theater 700
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW]

Presented by the Preservation and Reformatting Section Photographic
and Recording Media Committee Association for Library Collections
and Technical Services a division of the American Library
Association. Co-Sponsors: Society of American Archivists National
Archives and Records Administration. The Research Libraries Group
has graciously underwritten some of the expenses of this
preconference.

Goals and Objectives: The presentations will address the following
topics: the advantages and disadvantages of analog vs. digital
technologies, strategies for coping with the change from analog to
digital, evolving acquisition, access and preservation policies, and
the latest technologies and standards.

The preconference will be an expanded version of the 1997 Society of
American Archivists annual conference program, "Dealing with the
Transformation: Analog and Digital Technologies in Recorded Sound
Collections." Speakers will review current practices for acquiring,
preserving and enhancing access to sound collections, and assessing
the advantages and disadvantages offered by the analog and digital
technologies. Strategies will be discussed for coping with the
increasing replacement of analog by digital products and practices.
The presentations will focus on the changing nature of recording and
communications technologies and how these changes will likely impact
the key activities of acquisition, preservation, and access.

Participants should expect to leave the preconference with a better
understanding of the scope of the transformation occurring in sound
recording and communications technologies, and of the many factors
to be considered as library and archival programs contemplate the
shift towards increasing use of digital technologies.

Audience: Librarians or archivists involved with audio collections
who are concerned about the shifting trend towards digital
technologies.

Faculty: Gerry Gibson, Audio and Moving Image Preservation
Specialist, Preservation, Research and Testing Division, Library of
Congress; Charles Hardy, Oral historian, Associate Professor of
History, West Chester University; Alan Lewis, Audio-Visual Expert,
NARA, Special Media Archives Division; William Storm, Consultant;
Dave Wickstrom, Consultant; Jim Wheeler, Consultant; Moderator:
Richard Peek, Head, Preservation Department, University of Rochester
Libraries.

Tentative Program Outline

8:00-9:00 a.m.      Registration
9:00-9:10 a.m.      Welcome and Introduction - Peek
9:10-9:50 a.m.      Sound Recording in the Digital Age: A Report
                    from the Field - Hardy
9:50-10:30 a.m.     Understanding the Requirements: Digital Access
                    to Sound and Moving Images - Storm
10:30-10:55 a.m.    Networking Break
10:55-11:25  a.m.   Contracting for Preservation Services. The many
                    considerations for preparing a vendor contract
                    for audio transfer. - Lewis
11:25-12:10 p.m.    How Do They Do That?: Audio Tape Transfer
                    Specifics. A basic overview of how things work
                    electronically.-Wickstrom
12:10-1:30 p.m.     Lunch on your own
1:30-2:10 p.m.      Current Practices for Storing and Handling Audio
                    Materials. The best practices for acquiring,
                    processing, and storing audio materials.-Gibson
2:10-2:45 p.m.      Preserving Digital Tapes. The problems
                    associated with digital tape preservation,
                    environmental testing, and storage
                    considerations.-Wheeler
2:45-3:10 p.m.      Networking Break
3:10-3:55 p.m.      Panel discussion, Questions and Answers -All
                    faculty
3:55-4:05 p.m.      Concluding remarks and acknowledgments -Peek

A registration form and other useful information can be found on the
ALCTS home page:
<URL:http://www.ala.org/alcts/events/preconference98>

I would gladly answer any questions sent directly.

Richard Peek
Head, Preservation Dept.
University of Rochester
716-275-9285

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:85
                 Distributed: Wednesday, April 22, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-85-008
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