Course on care of audiovisual collections

SOIMA 2007: Safeguarding Sound and Image Collections
Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo
6-31 August 2007 (four weeks)

Application deadline: 10 January 2007

Organizers

    AN (National Archives of Brazil)
    <URL:http://www.arquivonacional.gov.br>

    ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation
    and Restoration of Cultural Property)
    <URL:http://www.iccrom.org>

Audiovisual records are an integral part of our contemporary life
and culture. Yet, audiovisual materials all around the world,
especially those housed in heritage or other institutions with mixed
collections are at risk due to deterioration, technological
obsolescence or damage from natural and other disasters.  Moreover,
preservation and conservation of audiovisual materials is complex,
requiring specialized guidance, skills and infrastructure.  While
digitization offers new possibilities for wider access and
preservation, many institutions lack expertise to assess the
technological implications and to make informed choices that do not
strain institutional resources and at the same time respect the
authenticity and inherent values of this heritage.

The course will discuss the meaning, selection and use of
audiovisual collections in various contexts, exploring the potential
of audiovisual media in transmitting knowledge and cultural
traditions. It will provide an overview of issues related to the
preservation and access of audiovisual materials e.g., films, tapes,
cassettes, disks. It will especially focus on identification of
various formats including the playback equipment, life expectancy of
media and ways of detecting deterioration. Course topics will
include: current knowledge and practices for documenting, handling
and storage, risk assessment of collections, emergency preparedness
and response, criteria and technologies for migration and
reformatting, planning preservation projects, outsourcing options,
mass storage systems and management of metadata. Other issues such
as copyright laws, legal deposit, institutional and national
preservation policies will be discussed in context with
participants' working realities. Adaptation to technological changes
and related cost-effective preservation strategies will form a key
component of the course.

Objectives: At the end of the course, participants will be able to
recognize all the materials and media in their audiovisual
collections, to Identify risks, and make informed choices for
preservation and access. They will have improved their skills to
communicate effectively across disciplines and to work in team.

Course methodology: The course will comprise lectures, a variety of
group activities, practical sessions, case studies and site visits.
Significant time will be allocated for independent consultation with
the course team. Case studies for the course will be based on
participants' inputs and will address issues and challenges
identified by them. Thus, active involvement of participants will be
sought during the course preparation phase. A follow-up programme,
will involve working on self-defined initiatives in participants'
home institutions and communicating as well as networking through a
platform supported by the organizers.

Participants The course is aimed at professionals working with
collections containing audiovisual materials of national
significance. In particular, it will interest archivists, collection
managers, conservators, curators and librarians in charge of
preserving such collections. It will also interest Information
Technology professionals working on projects involving digitization
of audiovisual collections or allied professionals and managers
working for broadcasting institutions. Preference will be given to
people actively involved in teaching and advising.

A maximum of 20 participants will be selected.
Teaching team: International team of recognized experts identified
through professional networks of the organizers
Working Language: English

Course fee: 900EUR

Travel, accommodation and living expenses: Participants will be
responsible for their round trip travel costs to and from Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. In order to cover living costs during the course,
participants should plan for a minimum total allowance of US$ 1300.
This sum would include the costs of accommodation in moderately
priced hotel rooms (which National Archives will locate for the
participants).  Candidates are strongly encouraged to seek financial
support from sources such as governmental institutions, employers
and funding agencies.  The organizers may be able to offer a limited
number of scholarships to selected candidates who have been unable
to secure funding.

Application: Please use the 'Course application form at
<URL:http://www.iccrom.org/eng/01train_en/forms_en/applfrm_en.doc>
and send it together with a statement summarizing your experience
and the relevance of the course to your current or future projects
in no more than 700 words. Applications should be mailed to:

    SOIMA 07-Collections Unit
    ICCROM
    13, via di San Michele
    I-00153 ROME RM, ITALY
    +39 06 585531
    Fax: +39 06 58553349
    collections [at] iccrom__org

Presented with the cooperation of:

    School of Fine Arts, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo
    Horizonte (Graduate Programme in Arts, CECOR - Center for
    Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Movable Property),
    Brazil

    Cinemateca Brasileira, Sao Paulo, Brazil,

    Centre de Recherches sur la Conservation des Documents
    Graphiques (CRCDG), France,

    Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations
    (CCAAA), UK

    European Commission on Preservation and Access (ECPA),

    Masters Degree Program in Moving Image Archiving and
    Preservation, New York University, USA,

    Office of Records Services, National Archives and Records
    Administration, USA

Aparna Tandon
Project Specialist
ICCROM
Via Di San Michele 13
I-00153 Rome, Italy
+39 06 58 553 324


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:19
                  Distributed: Monday, October 9, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-20-19-015
                                  ***