Putting It Into Practice

Managing Reformatting

Selecting Media Collections

Reformatting audiovisual materials is very expensive, and there is rarely enough funding available to reformat large numbers of items at once. While general concerns about level of use and importance to the institution apply to all types of collections, selection issues to be considered for specific types of audiovisual collections include:

Photographs and Negatives

Cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate negatives that already exhibit signs of deterioration should be a priority, as should color photographs, slides, and negatives. Deterioration of acetate negatives can be very quick, so frequent monitoring of their condition is essential. Priority for duplication may also be given to valuable negatives and to negatives that are frequently used, whatever their type. If you cannot store nitrate negatives according to the guidelines given by your insurance company and local authorities, their duplication and disposal should be a priority.

Motion Picture Films

For films, cultural significance must be determined, as well as whether or not the institution's copy is the best surviving copy. Completeness of the copy, the number of generations your copy is from the original, and the physical condition of the film must be considered. Films on nitrate or acetate base that already exhibit signs of deterioration should be a high priority. In general, if materials can be placed in cold storage, individual films can be copied as time permits, with the most significant and deteriorated films duplicated first. As is the case with nitrate negatives, if you cannot store nitrate films according to the guidelines given by your insurance company and local authorities, their duplication and disposal should be a priority.

Audiotapes and Videotapes

In addition to determining cultural significance, you must identify damaged tapes, recordings made on obsolete or unusual formats, recordings made early in the life of a format (these may be of inferior quality), older tapes, and unique copies (e.g., the only master). All of these should have priority for copying.