SEAPAVAA Newsletter
Jan-Sep 1998

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A consultation meeting on the Preservation of Access to the Audio Heritage of the World was held between audio archivists and manufacturers of analog magnetic tape machines at UNESCO Paris on the 23rd of April 1998.

The consultation was organized by the technical committee of the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) in conjunction with the Information, Informatics and Communications sector of UNESCO. It was attended by representatives of audio archivists, analog magnetic tape machine manufacturers, and UNESCO.

Dietrich Schuller and George Boston, Chair and Secretary, respec-tively of the IASA technical committee, acted as chair and rapporteur for the consultation.

The purpose of the consultation was to examine and discuss ways wherein archivists can work together with the remaining manufacturers of analog magnetic tape machines for the extended phaseout of the quarter inch tape format. This will give them time to find resources and enable them to transfer their collections of analog audio recording to digital. By working together, it is hoped that an understanding that meets the requirements of both parties can be achieved.

A questionnaire sent to a number of archives worldwide revealed that there was a longer term need for analog machines and spare parts than they had realized. At the end of the consultation, the following were agreed on:

1. inform the manufacturers about the membership of the association;
2. information about the need for new analog tape machines and spare parts from its members; this date will be made available to the manufacturers;
3. manufacturers to inform IASA about models of machines currently in production; and
4. manufacturers to provide IASA with an advance warning as to when a model is going to be phased out. IASA members will be informed to allow them to place orders for such models.

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