The Impact of Preservation Science on Digitization Standards

Advances in preservation science have changed the fundamental techniques and tools available to recorded sound collection holders to manage the need to safely, efficiently and accurately digitize collections. It is now possible to predict material stability and degradation with increasing accuracy, measure and analyze the impact of physical playback on recorded sound carriers through multiple techniques and develop new methodologies to extract sound from legacy collections. These factors directly contribute to the success or failure of digitization. The significance of modern techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometry to determine the composition of collection materials will be explained and will be demonstrated to have a key role to play in prioritizing digitization strategies. Scientific approaches to studying binder breakdown in tape exhibiting sticky-shed syndrome, permanence of data on compact disc media and stylus wear on groove structures all feed into the long term digitization plans for the vast amounts of media in archives and personal collections. Imagining technologies combined with workstation class computing allow for very large image data sets of audio media to be captured, analyzed and processed. These new extraction methodologies open avenues to rescue sound from carriers too degraded for traditional playback, for improved signal extraction and provide options for mass digitization of common sources. Modern scientific instrumentation brings direct measurement with little or no invasion of the primary source to recorded sound preservation. Quantifying the work leading up to digitization and during digitization assures the digital files accurately represent the information held by the carrier.
 
Dr. Fenella G. France, Chief, Preservation Research and Testing Division, Library of Congress, “Advances in Non-Invasive Analytical Preservation Science Techniques”
Dr. Eric B. Monroe, Chemist, Preservation Research and Testing Division, Library of Congress, “Utility of Micro-Analytical Techniques to Study Sound and Audiovisual Materials”
Dr. Carl Haber, Senior Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “Imaging and Data Analysis Applied to Mechanical Sound Carriers”
Mr. Peter Alyea, Digital Conversion Specialist, Preservation Reformatting Division, Library of Congress, “Reassessing Digitization Standards for Recorded Sound Collections”