BBC Sound Archive Preservation Project
The Preservation Programme is a major area of work which looks at the long-term storage and preservation of BBC archive material. Many of the existing analogue formats are unstable and deteriorating to the point that they are unusable and in serious danger of being lost altogether. It is essential to upgrade these by transferring to more robust digital formats which can be kept and reused more easily. Funding has recently been approved for 3 years work (of an estimated 10 year programme). Work on the Radio 1 archive, which has been funded separately, is now included in this programme.
Sound Archive Discs: To preserve the shellac and vinyl discs of the BBC Programme Archives: To transfer 10,000 discs to CD and DVD over first year (of 3 year programme).
Radio 1 Preservation: Transfer of 14,000 hours of Radio 1 pop archive material onto CD and DVD Creation of full catalogue entries on INFAX. Provide browse quality access to catalogue and archive on local desktops for defined user group.
BBC Information & Archives' Broadcasting House Operations
You will have a chance to look at artists' correspondence, recording ledgers and photos and to tour the tape vaults. Plus a look round the museum which includes a rich collection of recording machines and company-related ephemera.
Oral History Collection at the Imperial War Museum
The Imperial War Museum is the major British museum of conflict in the twentieth century. Amongst their enormous collections is a programme of oral history interviews which are heavily used by researchers and in the exhibitions within the museum itself. The visit to the Museum will include a talk by sound archive staff on the oral history collection and the catalogue used to document the material.
These visits will be booked on a first come first served basis. Can we also ask those of you who have visited the EMI Archive before to choose a different option as places are limited on this visit.
For further information please contact:
The British Library
National Sound Archive
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
United KingdomTel: +44 (0)20 7412 7440
Fax: +44 (0)20 7412 7441
E-mail: NSA@bl.uk
From The British Library's Online Information Server