Explore why archiving media is essential, gain valuable planning tips, and explore top resources. Learn effective strategies to ensure your media is well-preserved and easily accessible.

These resources were collected for the Pavek Museum's "Connecting Conversations" first talk called: AV Preservation Basics: Digitally Archive Your Recordings Before They Are Lost Forever by local media archivists Ron McCoy and Mark Stanley.

FAQ - Questions about Preservation

Media Preservation FAQ sheet  PDF file download

ONLINE RESOURCES

Glossary of Terms - National Archives
Archiving Terms Used in the Preservation

Glossary at BAVC -AV Artifact Atlas
Errors and anomalies in analog and digital video

Glossary - Digital Preservation Handbook
Terms for the emerging discipline of digital preservation

Video Preservation Guide
Digitizing Video for Long-Term Preservation:  PDF file download

Media Identifier Guide
Texas_Arts_Commission_Media_Guide  PDF file download | 11 mb

Minnesota Digital Library - MDL
Metadata Entry Guidelines  Select PDF file for download


Explore further on our additional Resource Links page.

PRESERVATION RESOURCES

Library of Congress - 2013 preservation guide
http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2013/08/a-new-guide-for-archiving-digital-video/

Library of Congress - digital preservation
http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2011/07/whither-digital-video-preservation/

http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/

TOOLS and SOFTWARE

Media Info - Download page Reads relevant technical and tag data for video and audio files. | Open-Source software

QCTools - Download page Analyze and understand your digitized video files. | Open Source License

OBS - Download page Open Broadcaster Software - Real time video/audio capturing + mixing | Open Source License

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Media Equipment Crisis: The majority of early video formats; ½” EIAJ open reel, ¾” U-Matic videocassettes and 1” VTRs along with consumer VHS and Betamax VCRs are rapidly becoming obsolete. We are also experiencing a difficult time securing qualified operators and repair technicians. MNMA accepts qualified donations of functioning VHS and Betamax videocassette recorders as well as professional audio, video, and film equipment

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