Processing Audio and Moving Image Material

The arrangement and description of audio and moving image (AMI) material utilizes many of the same guiding principles as other archival materials, but involves additional steps because AMI is described on the item level to facilitate digitization for long-term preservation and access. This section details the tasks and special considerations that are necessary when working with AMI in archival collections, and addresses identification, inventory, and housing of these materials. The Media Preservation Services department facilitates and coordinates the preservation and digitization of AMI. See the Media Preservation Documentation Portal for further information about the ways in which media is digitized and preserved.

Audio and Moving Image Inventory

While the Archival Processing unit is responsible for the description in finding aids of AMI included in archival collections, an initial inventory is performed in SPEC as part of the accessioning process by Collection Management. This includes assigning identifier numbers and barcodes, rehousing items, and recording the format type. Since AMI is the only format routinely arranged and described on the item level, processing collections with AMI can be significantly more time consuming. Inventories and collection documentation provided by the donor or seller can be helpful, as it can often assist in deciphering the content of inadequately labeled media. In many cases, this information can be repurposed in the finding aid description or included as an additional resource to the finding aid.

In the Archival Processing unit, the inventory of AMI in archival collections is performed by exporting a spreadsheet of the initial Collection Management inventory and enhancing it with DACS-compliant descriptive data, including titles, dates, and tracklists. During the inventory, if you encounter incorrect formats, you should correct the record in SPEC. The completed inventory will be imported into ArchivesSpace. See the section on Importing an Audio and Moving Image Inventory into ArchivesSpace for instructions on how to do this.

Identification

There are many resources that can aid in identifying the audio and moving image materials in a collection. Some helpful identification resources are listed below. If you are unable to identify any of the media in your collection, talk to your supervisor and contact the Manager of Audio and Moving Image Description.

All Formats

University of Illinois Preservation Self-Assessment Program is a helpful guide for identifying most common audio and moving image formats.

The National Archives preservation site has a section on archival formats, which includes sections for audio, video, and film. The Museum of Obsolete Media is helpful if you encounter less common or rare audio and moving image formats.

Video

The Texas Commission on the Arts Videotape Identification and Assessment Guide is a useful resource for information about all video tape formats.

Film 

Brian Pritchard’s site has a guide to identifying both 16mm and 35mm film.

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia has a short technical guide to film types.

Paper Materials in Audio and Moving Image Containers

As you inventory and describe AMI, remove any loose papers and documentation found inside a media enclosure, and place these in a folder labeled with the identifier number of the Media Original item. By retaining this information, you will be able to describe the paper and AMI together in the finding aid. It is generally best to integrate each separated paper into the container list. For some legacy collections where the papers have already been separated and their origin is unclear, you may need to create a file with a title such as, Separated Papers, that includes all the separated items. 

Preservation Issues

Often AMI with preservation issues is discovered during accessioning, and physically separated from the collection. The Manager of Audio and Moving Image Description and Collection Manager will assess the preservation concerns and determine whether the materials will need to be sent to a vendor for remediation. However, you still may encounter additional AMI content with preservation issues during your appraisal or inventory. Some common issues are mold and film with vinegar syndrome. The filmcare.org site is a useful resource in helping to identify potential preservation issues. If you are unsure if something is an AMI preservation issue, reach out to the Manager of Audio and Moving Image Description and Collection Management for guidance.

Media Originals

At NYPL, a single AMI item is called a Media Original. AMI is stored by format in division-specific media originals boxes. Below is information on how to properly store AMI in media originals boxes. A general guiding principle is that the AMI ID numbers should be visible when looking into the box. Once a media originals box is full, apply a barcode to the box and scan the barcode into the object record for that box in the Media Originals collection for the correct curatorial division in SPEC. See the section of this documentation about barcode placement for information on how to barcode each box type.

Media Originals Boxes

Below is information on how to properly store audio and moving image items in media originals boxes. A general guiding principle is that the AMI ID numbers are visible when looking into the box. Once a media originals box is full, apply a barcode to the box and scan the barcode into the object record for that box in the Media Originals collection for the correct curatorial division in SPEC. The media originals collection number for each division is listed in the Creating New Media Originals Boxes section of this documentation. Consult with your manager to inditify the correct boxes for your collection. See the section of this documentation about barcode placement for information on how to barcode each box type.