Session 6 Media Collections

Videotapes, motion picture films, sound recordings, and other media are often found within archival collections. Audiovisual media materials present preservation concerns quite different from paper collections because they often require specialized equipment and training.

SESSION 6: MEDIA COLLECTIONS

This session will focus primarily on the reasons that film-based and electronic media deteriorate. You will explore how the interaction among the individual components of each format contributes to deterioration. You will also examine how exposure to external agents of deterioration, such as climate extremes, further accelerates deterioration. This session will continue the process of evaluating the overall condition of your collections and focusing your preservation activities.

Repositories that hold large collections of film and electronic media (and/or formats that are not covered in this session) are strongly encouraged to consult with an appropriate specialist for more information.

This session will help you:

identify the materials and structures that make up audiovisual and electronic media commonly found in archival collections;

determine why these materials deteriorate, including the interaction of component materials and the role of external factors;

evaluate the general condition of film-based and electronic media within your collections

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