1. Alliance for Community Media July 31, 2012 Appalshop Archive Preserving 4 decades of media arts production

2. War On Poverty jobs training program Intended to help kids find work the film and tv industries Incorporated as APPALSHOP in 1970 Appalachian Film Workshop

3. Appalshop Films - 1970 Appalshop Films - 1970 June Appal Recordings – 1974 June Appal Recordings – 1974 Roadside Theatre – 1975 Roadside Theatre – 1975 Headwaters Television - 1979 Headwaters Television - 1979 WMMT 88.7 – 1985 WMMT 88.7 – 1985 Appalachian Media Institute – 1988 Appalachian Media Institute – 1988 Continuous media production and collaborative arts projects Continuous media production and collaborative arts projects Activity

4. By-product of several decades of content creation about Appalachian culture By-product of several decades of content creation about Appalachian culture Applied for NHPRC preservation grant. Applied for NHPRC preservation grant. Advised to perform collection assessment first. Advised to perform collection assessment first. Hired consultants in video, film, and photography. Hired consultants in video, film, and photography. Accidental archive

5. 2002 - Save Americas Treasures grant 2002 - Save Americas Treasures grant First film and audio preservation projects First film and audio preservation projects 2005 – NEH grant to create two staff positions for moving image archivists 2005 – NEH grant to create two staff positions for moving image archivists Most critical steps to managing the collections were… Most critical steps to managing the collections were… Appalshop Archive established incrementally

6. 2006 – Environmental control

7. 2006 – Intellectual control Each audiovisual object assigned a barcode Each audiovisual object assigned a barcode Excel spreadsheet used for initial inventory Excel spreadsheet used for initial inventory IMAP* Filemaker Pro database adopted, inventory imported. IMAP* Filemaker Pro database adopted, inventory imported. *Independent Media Arts Preservation

8. APPALSHOP FILMS 16mm pic & sound ¼ audio field recordings Core A/V Collections

9. APPALSHOP VIDEO 1/2 and 1 reel to reel video 3/4 Umatic video Betacam SP Core A/V Collections

10. First step in gaining control of collection Will tell you: How much you have and in what formats Location Condition What is at risk Where triage is needed Candidates for preservation that could form basis of a grant proposal Collection Assessment

11. Collection Development Identification, selection, and evaluation of collection

12. Basic information – describe and quantify Basic information – describe and quantify Does not have to inventory each item Does not have to inventory each item Can be by Can be by –Format –Program/Series –Title and associated production materials Goal is to get a cumulative picture of collection contents and condition, given available resources and staff time Goal is to get a cumulative picture of collection contents and condition, given available resources and staff time Collection Assessment

13. o Check inside/outside of container for damage that may effect tape o Smell the tape as soon as it is removed from its container for these odors: –Waxy –Dirty socks –Vinegar or anything astringent/ pungent o Check the tape edge for white powder or crystalline residue. Check the interior of the container for black/brown flakes of oxide.

14. Preservation Selection Criteria * (per American Archive Content Inventory Project) o Potential to repurpose o Risk of Loss o National Cultural Value o Local Cultural Value o Historical Value * These are general guidelines. The order of priority should be adjusted to your organizations goals and mission

15. Develop a Collection Policy o Should reflect the mission and goals of the organization. o Set priorities about what to preserve and what you are able to reasonably safeguard given space, staff, and resources. o Think long-term about what may be of value to future generations. o Create a document outlining policies. o Stick to it. o Look at collection policies of other organizations for guidelines

16. Cable access project in coal mining region of Virginia Cable access project in coal mining region of Virginia 250 ½ reel to reel tapes deposited at Appalshop 250 ½ reel to reel tapes deposited at Appalshop Mountain Community Television collection, 1972-1978 National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant preserved 150 tapes in 2008 National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant preserved 150 tapes in 2008

17. Preservation measures o Tapes were evaluated o Sent to magnetic media preservation lab in NYC (Mercer Media) o Each tape transfer yielded 3 tiers of elements –1 Digibeta preservation copy –1 DVCam intermediate copy (for dubs) –1 DVD for access NOTE: These were recommended formats for reel-to-reel tape preservation in 2008. Best-practices for video preservation are always evolving. Consult AMIA-L listserv and labs specializing in moving image preservation for most current standards for the formats you seek to preserve.

18. Paper records Institutional paper documents Institutional paper documents Production logs, transcripts, etc. Production logs, transcripts, etc. Posters Posters Fliers Fliers Processing of paper records in progress Processing of paper records in progress

19. Access efforts Current Finding Aids through UKY Digital Library Finding Aids through UKY Digital Library Collection level records created for WorldCat Collection level records created for WorldCat In progress CollectiveAccess database and web interface with searchable catalog CollectiveAccess database and web interface with searchable catalog Future plans Inhouse video/audio transfer workflow Inhouse video/audio transfer workflow Internet Archive uploads of selected material Internet Archive uploads of selected material

20. A few resources Association of Moving Image Archivists & AMIA-L listserv. A key resource for developments in moving image preservation best practices and standards. Association of Moving Image Archivists & AMIA-L listserv. A key resource for developments in moving image preservation best practices and standards. –amianet.org Image Permanence Institute Image Permanence Institute –imagepermanenceinstitute.org Independent Media Arts Independent Media Arts –imappreservation.org National Historical Publications and Records Commission grants National Historical Publications and Records Commission grants NEH grants, esp. Preservation Assistance grants NEH grants, esp. Preservation Assistance grants ( up to $6000 for consultants, supplies, etc.) –http://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/preservation- assistance-grants-smaller-institutions

21. THANK YOU! Caroline Rubens crubens@appalshop.org