7.0 Preservation Policy

Audiovisual Archives, including the AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive, preserve their collections with the intention of ensuring their permanent accessibility. Preservation is a ceaseless task, which relies on good storage and diligent collection management. Technological obsolescence has always been a threat to the preservation of audiovisual media. Today, we are witnessing the obsolescence of many popular analogue audiovisual technologies, notably VHS video, audio cassette, audio reel-to-reel tape, and traditional still photography. Digitisation, which is seen by many as the ‘final solution’ to preservation, in fact presents the biggest challenge ever faced by the international audiovisual archiving community. Digital carriers and software have extremely short lives, demanding ever-widening versatility and adaptability to ensure the preservation of digital objects. Regular of migration of digital objects is required.

In 2001 AIATSIS received temporary funding to address the issues raised by the move to digital media. The Audiovisual Archive used this funding to develop technological standards and practices for digital archiving of audio and photographic materials and to employ several additional staff to begin the enormous process of migrating existing analogue holdings to prescribed digital formats. Please refer to the document AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive: Technical Standards & Guidelines for Digitisation of Materials by AIATSIS (PDF) for a thorough treatment of AIATSIS’ standards for digitisation. As a result of additional funding provided by the Department of Education, Science and training from 2005/2006 to 2007/2008, the AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive has been able to expand its digitisation program and has now developed strategies and standards for copying film and video material to digital formats.

In keeping with internationally accepted best practice, AIATSIS requests that depositors lodge their original materials for deposit. This is in recognition that future technologies may enable enhanced retrieval of information from the original carrier, particularly in the case of analogue materials. We also recognise that original carriers, both analogue and digital, are valuable artefacts in their own right and may convey more information than their derivative copies, which only embody the audiovisual content of the original.

AIATSIS recognises that an item's storage and handling history can significantly impact on its longevity. Prior to deposit in the AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive, materials are often stored in sub-standard conditions which significantly escalate their rate of deterioration. Every effort will be made to allay or slow down an item’s deterioration, but such effects cannot be reversed.

7.1 Preservation of audio material

All accessioned original audio material is scheduled for preservation copying. In 2005, the Archive began copying for preservation exclusively to digital media, although analogue derivatives continue to be offered to clients.

Master preservation copies of audio materials are stored as 24 bit, 48kHz (or 96 kHz) BWF files, and the access copies as LoFi MP2 files. These materials are progressively being moved from CD onto Digitool, AIATSIS's Digital Asset Management System. Duplicate master discs are currently created as – like most portable digital carriers – CDs and DVDs are easily damaged and cannot be considered archivally stable. MP3 and MP2 access copies are currently stored on a network-attached storage system.

Existing 10.5” analogue preservation reels are stored off-site in climate-controlled vaults at the National Library of Australia. All other audio carriers, including original recordings, are stored on-site in a climate-controlled vault at 16°C ±2° and 48% relative humidity ±5%. Spot inventories are conducted regularly and a full inventory is in process (2004-2006).

7.2 Preservation of photographic material

Original colour transparencies are sleeved in polypropylene filing pages and suspended in specially designed compactus storage units. Black and white negatives are sleeved in polypropylene pages and binders which are arranged on shelves. Original photographic prints from which digital copies are made are sleeved in either Mylar (for rare prints) or polyethylene enclosures and stored in polypropylene archive boxes which are arranged on shelves. Glass plate negatives are stored in acid-free envelopes, housed in archival boxes. Each plate is separated by a polystyrene divider. Digital images are currently stored on CDs and will be progressively transferred to Digitool, AIATSIS's Digital Asset Management System.

All original material is housed in a climate-controlled environment. The film material vault housing negatives and transparencies is maintained at 5° ± 3° and 35% relative humidity. Photographic prints, early glass plate negatives and portable digital carriers are housed in a vault maintained at 16° ± 2° and 35% relative humidity. The Institute also has an arrangement with the National Film and Sound Archive to use its purpose-built nitrate film storage facility at Mitchell, for housing approximately 5,000 highly combustible nitrate film negatives in the collection.

New and existing photographic film holdings are monitored regularly for signs of deterioration, including vinegar syndrome and dye fade. Cellulose acetate film is tested for vinegar syndrome (deacetylation) using acid detections strips. Results of these tests are recorded on the AIATSIS catalogue, but are not visible to the public. Film stock which exhibits levels of vinegar syndrome is isolated in a special cold vault at 5° ± 3° and 35% relative humidity, and scheduled for digital copying at preservation specifications.

Copies of all photographic materials are made for both preservation and public access purposes. AIATSIS digitises all accessioned material to preservation specifications that meet international best practice standards. Viewing copies are then made available via low resolution digital files on the AIATSIS Pictures Access Database which is accessible in the AIATSIS Library and Audiovisual Archives Access Unit. Hard copy ‘proof sheets’ are also available for viewing in the Audiovisual Archives Access Unit.

7.3 Preservation of motion picture film and video material

Original film material is housed in inert plastic cans in a climate controlled vault maintained at 5°C ±3° and 35% relative humidity ±5%. All videos, including original materials and video copies of films, are stored at 16°C ±2° and 35% relative humidity ±5%. Currently, master preservation copies of moving image materials are made on archival-quality Digital Betacam.

New and existing film holdings are monitored regularly for signs of deterioration, including vinegar syndrome and dye fade. Cellulose acetate film is tested for vinegar syndrome (deacetylation) using acid detection strips. A full inventory is currently underway. Film stock which exhibits high levels of vinegar syndrome is isolated to prevent contamination of other materials . Results of conservation tests are recorded on the AIATSIS catalogue, but are not visible to the public.

7.4 Preservation of works of art and artefacts

Preventive conservation is central to the preservation of all materials held by the AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive. The Works of Art and Artefact Collection is stored in purpose-built shelving, cabinets and acid-free boxes, in a climate-controlled vault at 21 °C ±3° and 53% relative humidity ±5%. Exhibition spaces are environmentally controlled and display pieces are continuously monitored and rotated as necessary.

Movement and installation of collection items must be approved by the Director of the Audiovisual Archive and supervised at all times by the Curator, Works of Art and Artefacts, or other Audiovisual Archive staff who have undergone training in the movement, handling and instalment of artwork.

Ongoing research of the Works of Art and Artefact Collection is central to its care, including the documentation of materials and techniques used to make artefacts. The condition of materials is regularly assessed and specialist conservators are contracted where necessary.

7.5 Preservation of documentation

Electronic documentation received since December 2004 is stored with the original material to which it relates. Preservation copies of electronic documentation are saved separately as PDF files (text searchable where possible). AIATSIS does not guarantee that specialty documentation – such as that created by transcription software – will be maintained in a fully functional state. AIATSIS receives a large amount of documentation created in a vast array of proprietary formats, which cannot reasonably be supported into the future. Original documentation files will be stored in their original format with their original file names and will be made available to depositors on request. PDF preservation copies of electronic documentation will be maintained into the future and migrated to new non-proprietary formats, which may be adopted as standard in the future. Preservation copies of electronic documentation are named as per conventions set out in the document Storage and File Naming Conventions for Electronic Documentation.

Paper-based documentation is stored on site in a climate controlled vault at 21 °C ±3° and 53% relative humidity ±5%. A relatively small amount of audio documentation was copied to microfilm in the past and is stored off-site at the National Library of Australia. Much of the documentation copied to microfilm has been superseded. All forms of documentation are scheduled for scanning to 400 dpi grayscale PDF. PDF preservation copies of documentation are named as per conventions set out in the document Storage and file naming conventions for electronic documentation.

7.6 Criteria for digitisation

All materials held by the AIATSIS Audiovisual Archive are scheduled for digitisation. Because of the varying age, condition, format and rarity of collection materials, it has been necessary to create a digitisation schedule for each media, which lists those materials most in need of migration to new preservation media. To ensure the longevity of the collections, the Audiovisual Archive will not digitise non-prioritised material, unless the material is in high demand from a number of parties and a fee is paid to contribute to the costs of resourcing. Copies of the digitisation priority schedules are available on application.

Materials have been assessed for inclusion on the digitisation priority schedule based on a variety of criteria. Where preservation copies have not yet been created, the criteria are:

1. the condition of the original material;
2. the age of the original material;
3. the rarity of the content;
4. the obsolescence of the format of the original material;
5. the obsolescence (planned or otherwise) of playback or viewing equipment suited to the format of the original material;
6. the level of documentation, and whether further documentation would be facilitated by making copies available;
7. the value of an item in relation to other collection items, for example audio recordings which document a photographic collection;
8. the conditions of access which apply to the material; and
9. the level of demand.

Where preservation copies have already been created, the criteria are:

1. the condition of the existing preservation copy;
2. the age of the existing preservation copy;
3. the obsolescence of the existing preservation format;
4. the obsolescence (planned or otherwise) of playback or viewing equipment suited to the format of the existing preservation format;
5. the level of documentation, and whether further documentation would be facilitated by making digital copies available; and
6. the level of demand.

7.6.1 Audio digitisation schedules

Two audio digitisation schedules are maintained. The first lists materials created more than ten years ago for which no preservation copies have been created. The second lists materials created more than ten years ago for which analogue preservation copies have been created on obsolescent media. Items are ranked according to supplementary criteria, including the age of material, its condition, the rarity of the content, the need for documentation and the level of demand.

Items created less than ten years ago are not identified as a priority unless the condition of the original carrier is sub-standard, or the material was created in an obsolescent format. The condition of materials deposited less than ten years ago are regularly monitored for signs of deterioration and are added to the priority list if needed. This is particularly important for materials supplied on carriers with no recognised standard shelf life, such as Digital Audio Tape (DAT).

The Audiovisual Archive holds approximately 47,000 hours of audio recordings, of which 24,000 hours are unique material with no preservation copies. Only a small percentage has been digitised.

7.6.2 Photograhic digitisation schedule

All photographic collection material offered to the Audiovisual Archives is scheduled for digital copying to preservation specifications upon completion of the accessioning process. Copying priority is based upon an assessment of the material from both a preservation and access perspective. A six point scale is applied where collections are assessed against such factors as the stability and condition of the photographic medium and the rarity or potential value of the images to the Institute’s key stakeholders. As of May 2005 there are 40 copying jobs outstanding which entail the digitisation of over 5,000 photographs acquired over the past two years. The six point scale is also applied in scheduling the ongoing copying of approximately 600,000 photographs already in the collection, of which less than 10% have been digitised to preservation specifications.

7.6.3 Film digitisation schedule

The purchase of a Telecine machine hs heralded a new program of converting film and its accompanying components (eg. out-takes) to digital video masters onsite. To ensure smooth integration of the new equipment, the first stage will be spent working on collections which require minimal preparation. Once the telecine machine has been successfully trialled, material will be ranked according to its age and condition (particularly material affected by vinegar syndrome) and the uniqueness of the content. Preservation copies have not yet been created for the majority of the collection, in excess of six and half million feet or 10,000 hours of film.

7.6.4 Video digitisation schedule

Preservation copies have not yet been created for most of the video collection. The highest priority materials for digitisation are videos that have been created on obsolete media: U-matic and J-format tapes (the latter are deteriorating rapidly, becoming sticky and shedding emulsion when played). These comprise approximately one-quarter of the collection: more than 2,000 titles. Items will then be ranked accordingly based on such considerations as the condition and age of the recording and the uniqueness of the content.

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