[Heritage] Oregon Heritage Releases Audio Preservation Technical Bulletin

[Heritage Info]

When was the last time you listened to an oral history played through a
reel-to-reel tape machine? Does your organization own operating
equipment that allows access to sound recordings gathered during the
1950s or earlier? Heritage Bulletin 19: Audio Preservation (
http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/docs/Heritage_Bulletins/HB_19_Audio_Preservation.pdf
), a new publication from Oregon Heritage, may provide solutions for
retrieving audio records.
 
Access to valuable oral histories and other information, captured
through the means of audio recordings, can be lost due to obsolete
machines. Sound recordings found in many collections across Oregon’s
reside on a range of media, including acetate and vinyl discs, wax
cylinders, wire recordings and cassette tapes. Environmental conditions
can cause media to deteriorate and become unstable. 
 
Heritage Bulletin 19: Audio Preservation (
http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/docs/Heritage_Bulletins/HB_19_Audio_Preservation.pdf
) describes the importance of undertaking an audio digitization project
to preserve sound files in a stable and accessible format. By digitizing
sound files, an organization not only preserves their audio collections;
they once again provide access to them. 
 
The process of preserving photographic and film images through
digitization is a common practice today; however, preserving sound files
through digitization is unfamiliar to many. Thanks to technology, this
is changing. Heritage Bulletin 19 (
http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/docs/Heritage_Bulletins/HB_19_Audio_Preservation.pdf
) considers the equipment and software necessary to convert sound
recordings from analog to digital format, and includes information about
digitization standards.
 
Patrons can now access digital sound files through local community
organizations as well as the Internet. The bulletin, available through
the Oregon Heritage ( http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/pages/index.aspx )
website, provides advice to organizations about cataloging, storage and
access to converted sound files as well as links to funding sources for
an audio preservation project. 
 
Visit the Oregon Heritage (
http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/pages/bulletins.aspx ) website to
discover additional bulletins on a variety of topics that will assist
your organization. Do you have an idea for a Heritage Bulletin? Email
heritage.info at state.oregon.us with your ideas, questions or for further
information. 

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Mark your calendar for the 2013 Heritage Conference to take place in
Portland May 9 and 10!

Oregon Heritage, part of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department,
provides technical support and services to people and organizations
documenting, preserving, interpreting and sharing Oregon's heritage.
Keep up with the latest issues and trends by following the Oregon
Heritage Exchange blog.

Oregon Heritage News is a service of the Oregon Heritage Commission.
Contact us by emailing heritage.info at state.or.us .
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