Section 7: Conclusion
Effective care of audiovisual materials requires an understanding of a format's history, physical components, reproduction methods, and best practices for storage and handling. Several different formats may be stored within a single repository, so this information can become overwhelming. One strategy is to use the information covered in this Chapter as a reference instead of attempting to memorize it all. Focus on learning the points relevant to the materials in your collection, and aim to improve your handling procedures and storage methods over time.
An important takeaway from this Chapter is that most formats cannot be treated in exactly the same way. Wax cylinders and vinyl discs need different types of storage containers to prevent physical damage, and film and videotape are reproduced through extremely different methods. Treating these materials with their differences in mind and referring back to this Chapter for specific information will greatly improve the stewardship of your collections.
It is also important to know exactly what you have in your collections so that you can improve their storage conditions and effectively select items for digitization. In Chapter 2: Inventory and Assessment of Audiovisual Collections, you will learn how to develop an inventory of your collection that contains the data needed to care for and evaluate your collections for reformatting projects. You will be introduced to the required fields for inventory as well as additional fields that you may find helpful, and you will learn about the considerations that guide prioritization for digitization projects.
Section 8: Additional Resources and References ›