[78-L] ARSC TC Preservation Statement

[Bill Klinger]

The Outreach Committee of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections
(ARSC) posts the following message.


ARSC TECHNICAL COMMITTEE PRESERVATION STATEMENT

The Association for Recorded Sound Collections Technical Committee (ARSC TC)
has published its current preservation statement in "Preservation of
Archival Sound Recordings." The document contains the committee's
recommendations for preserving sound recordings, more specifically for
transferring sound recordings to an archival digital format, based on the
state of the art and the technology in 2009.

This statement updates the ARSC/AAA (Associated Audio Archives) recommended
practices that guided audio preservation work starting in the late 1980s.

"Preservation of Archival Sound Recordings" provides general guidance using,
as much as possible, language accessible to a non-expert audience. Those
with more experience in preservation matters may also find it useful. The
document is not intended to offer specific procedures or best practices. For
that level of detail, refer to the ARSC TC's annotated list "Essential
Resources for Audio Preservation," at the link below.

The updated preservation statement should provide useful guidance to public
and private archives, libraries, museums, and other collections that include
recordings of speech, music, ambient sounds, and other audio.

For more information about the ARSC TC and to view "Preservation of Archival
Sound Recordings" and "Essential Resources for Audio Preservation":
http://www.arsc-audio.org/technical-committee.html


The Association for Recorded Sound Collections is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to the preservation and study of sound recordings -- in all genres
of music and speech, in all formats, and from all periods. ARSC is unique in
bringing together private individuals and institutional professionals --
everyone with a serious interest in recorded sound.