Background
The Smithsonian Institution Archives, partnering with seven Smithsonian units, conducted a comprehensive survey of audiovisual collections consisting of analog film, audio, and video held across the Institution. Proposed by the Audiovisual Archivists Interest Lunch (AVAIL) group and funded by the Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF), this project will provide a foundation for the Smithsonian to develop pan-institutional guidelines on the preservation and care of these materials. The primary goals of this survey are to first document the breadth and scope of audiovisual collections by gathering group-level data on formats, condition, and storage environments, and to secondly report on areas of greatest strengths and needs in preservation practices gleaned from staff interviews.
Participants
- Anacostia Community Museum (ACM)
- Archives of American Art (AAA)
- Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (CFCH)
- The Human Studies Film Archives (HSFA) (now the National Anthropological Film Collection in the National Anthropological Archives)
- National Air and Space Museum Archive (NASM)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)
- National Museum of American History Archives Center (AC)
- Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA)
Outcomes
The final project report was completed in March 2017. A proposal has been submitted for a second phase to assess the Smithsonian’s audiovisual preservation readiness. If funded, that project would commence in late-2017.