Ethnomusicology 200: Suggested Readings in Audiovisual Archiving
ETHNOMUC100/ETHNOMUC200 is a seminar taught once a year. Course description: Examination of history, present state, and future of audiovisual archives, with specific focus on ethics, copyright, contracts, fieldwork, preservation, and access and issues related to technology, space, budgets, and staffing.
When we last taught the class, we created a class wiki, which included both links and resources mentioned in class and those recommended by students. By popular demand, we are making the wiki public. It is, of course, always a work in progress. I have created boxes for each broad topic and included the links, therein. I have generally not included links already listed elsewhere in this Research Guide. If you have any questions or suggestions, please send me an email.
Archival Appraisal, Collection and Selection
- Activists' Guide to Archiving VideoBy WITNESS
- Appraisal of Sound Recordings for Textual ArchivistsPaton, Christopher Ann. 1997. "Appraisal of Sound Recordings for Textual Archivists." Archival Issues 22, no. 2: 117-132.
- Appraising Public Television Programs: Toward an Interpretive and Comparative Evaluation ModelConnors, Thomas. 2000. "Appraising Public Television Programs: Toward an Interpretive and Comparative Evaluation Model." The American Archivist: 63, no. 1 (Spring/Summer): 152-174.
- Framers of the Kept: Against the Grain Appraisal of Ephemeral Moving ImagesWisniewski, Timothy. 2007. "FRAMERS OF THE KEPT: Against the Grain Appraisal of Ephemeral Moving Images." The Moving Image: The Journal of the Association of Moving Image Archivists 7, no. 2 (Fall): 1-24.
- Lifetimes and Legacies: Mortality, Immortality, and the Needs of Aging and Dying DonorsWexler, Geoff and Linda Long. 2009. "Lifetimes and Legacies: Mortality, Immortality, and the Needs of Aging and Dying Donors." The American Archivist: 72, no. 2 (Fall/Winter): 478-495.
- Mind and Sight: Visual Literacy and the ArchivistKaplan, Elisabeth and Jeffrey Mifflin. 1996. "'Mind and Sight': Visual Literacy and the Archivist." Archival Issues 21, no. 2: 107-127.
- Nota Bene: If You 'Discover' Something in an Archive, It's Not a DiscoverySuzanne Fischer, The Atlantic, June 19, 2012. Says one curator, "I wish there were more articles headlined 'Thorough, Accurate Cataloging Pays Off!' "
- Oral History in the Archives: Its Documentary Role in the Twenty-First Century
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Swain, Ellen D. 2003. "Oral History in the Archives: Its Documentary Role in the Twenty-First Century." The American Archivist , Vol. 66, No. 1 (Spring/Summer): 139-158. - The Political Commercial Archive: Management of Moving Image and Sound RecordingsHaynes, Kathleen J. M. , Lynda Lee Kaid and Charles E. Rand. 1996. "The Political Commercial Archive: Management of Moving Image and Sound Recordings." The American Archivist 59, no. 1 (Winter): 48-61.
- Preserving Anthropology's Heritage: CoPAR, Anthropological Records, and the Archival CommunityParezo, Nancy J. 1999. "Preserving Anthropology's Heritage: CoPAR, Anthropological Records, and the Archival Community." The American Archivist: 62, no. 2 (Fall): 271-306.
- Preserving Chicago Symphony Orchestra Broadcast TapeNelson-Strauss, Brenda. 1991. "Preserving Chicago Symphony Orchestra Broadcast Tape." The Midwestern Archivist: 16, no. 1: 21-30.
- PRESERVING THEATRICAL LEGACY: An Archiving Manual for Theatre CompaniesThrough its publications and training programs, the American Theatre Archive Project (ATAP) aims to help theatre companies develop an archival sensibility that saves time and money while preserving and making accessible records of theatrical process and product. ATAP focuses on establishing theatre archives on company premises rather than preparing records for transfer to an official archival repository, such as a library with a theatre collection. Theatre companies that are part of a larger organization, such as a university, will want to contact their institution’s archivist and/or records manager to determine what archival and retention policies and procedures are already in place, and use this manual accordingly.
- Preserving the Electroacoustic Music LegacyCuervo, Adriana P. 2011. "Preserving the Electroacoustic Music Legacy: a Case Study of the Sal-Mar Construction at the University of Illinois." Notes: 68, no. 1 (September): 33-47.
- Preserving the Voices of Revolution: Examining the Creation and Preservation of a Subject-Centered Collection of Tweets from the Eighteen Days in EgyptArnold, Timothy and Walker Sampson. 2014. "Preserving the Voices of Revolution: Examining the Creation and Preservation of a Subject-Centered Collection of
Tweets from the Eighteen Days in Egypt." American Archivist 77, no. 2 (Fall-Winter).
Archive-Library-Museum Convergence
- Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers Occupational Outlook HandbookBureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
- Collective Wisdom: An Exploration of Library, Archives and Museum CulturesWritten by the participants in the Library, Archives and Museum Conference Exchange project, in which 18 librarians, archivists and museum professionals explored cross-sector practices and culture, and potential for interdisciplinary collaboration and continuing education.
- Dual Archivist/Librarians: Balancing the Benefits and Challenges of Diverse ResponsibilitiesManning, Mary and Judy Silva. 2012. "Dual Archivist/Librarians: Balancing the Benefits and Challenges of Diverse Responsibilities." College and Research Libraries 73:164-181.
Copyright, Fair Use, Public Domain, and Licensing
- Code of Best Practices in Fair UseThe Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
- Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and MuseumsHirtle, Peter B., Emily Hudson and Andrew T. Kenyon. 2009. "Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums." New York: Cornell University Library.
- Copyright and Fair Use: Charts and ToolsStanford University
- Copyright and the Music: Marketplace a report of the register of copyrightsU.S. Copyright Office (Feb. 2015)
- Copyright BasicsU.S. Copyright Office
- Copyright Law and the Changing Economic Value of Popular Music in India
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Booth, Gregory. 2015. "Copyright Law and the Changing Economic Value of Popular Music in India." Ethnomusicology 59, no. 2: 262-287. - Copyright Lawsuit Targets Cover Songs on YouTubeNew York Times, August 6, 2013
- Copyright NoticeU.S. Copyright Office
- Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United StatesPeter Hirtle, Cornell University Library, January 2020
- Digital Copyright SliderMichael Brewer, American Library Association
- Ethics of Access in Displaced ArchivesWinn, Samantha R. 2015. "Ethics of Access in Displaced Archives." Provenance, Journal of the Society of Georgia Archivists 33, no. 1.
- Ethnomusicology and Music Law
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Seeger, Anthony. 1992. "Ethnomusicology and Music Law.” Ethnomusicology 36, no. 3: 345-359. - Fair Use and SalamiMary Minow, library law consultant with LibraryLaw.com
- Future of Music CoalitionFuture of Music Coalition is a national nonprofit organization that works to ensure a diverse musical culture where artists flourish, are compensated fairly for their work, and where fans can find the music they want.
- Intellectual Property and Audiovisual Archives and CollectionsSeeger, Anthony. 2001. "Intellectual Property and Audiovisual Archives and Collections.” In Folk Heritage Collections in Crisis. Washington DC: Council on Library and Information Resources.
- Lawrence Lessig Strikes Back Against Bogus Copyright TakedownElectronic Frontier Foundation
- Linux & Whatnot - Creative Commons CEO (Ryan Merkley)Linux & Whatnot (with Lunduke & Hartley) - Episode 8. We have a conversation with the CEO of Creative Commons (Ryan Merkley) about earning a living with Free Culture licensed content and what the Creative Commons is up to lately. Sept. 19, 2016.
- Making Amends: China Music Copyright Law Primerby Eric Priest, Assistant Professor and LL.M. Program Faculty Director at the University of Oregon School of Law, and a veteran of the Chinese digital music industry.
- Monkey Selfie Crying Wolfby Sherwin Siy on Public Knowledge, Dec. 11, 2014
- Nobody Can’t Hold a Copyright, Which Means Sometimes, Nobody Holds a Copyrightby Sherwin Siy on Public Knowledge, Aug. 6, 2014
- Orphan Works: Statement of Best PracticesSociety of American Archivists
- Publications on CopyrightU.S. Copyright Office
- Section 108 Copyright SpinnerMichael Brewer, American Library Association
- Section 108 Due Diligence ProjectThis database captures the search efforts for current distribution of VHS video titles eligible for duplication under Section 108 of U.S. Copyright law. The initial contents represent titles owned by the three libraries participating in the original project: American University, Washington, DC; Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; and William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. The intention of the project is to provide a research tool to speed the research of other librarians and archivists who are undertaking VHS digitization projects. By sharing our research logs, we hope to reduce the duplication of efforts. The database is not intended to be limited to the three initial participating libraries but to eventually become a broader group effort open to contributions from librarians and archivists nationwide.
- Seeger lends his name to song royalty reformsLos Angeles Times
- SpicyIPSpicyIP is one of India’s leading blogs/repositories on intellectual property (IP) and innovation law/policy. Through its independent reporting/analysis, SpicyIP is committed to fostering transparency within the Indian IP ecosystem.
- Timid About Fair Use?Visual arts professionals, including art historians, let real and perceived fears about copyright law get in the way of their work, finds a new report from the College Art Association.
- Traditional KnowledgeWorld Intellectual Property Organization
- U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use IndexThe goal of the Index is to make the principles and application of fair use more accessible and understandable to the public by presenting a searchable database of court opinions, including by category and type of use (e.g., music, internet/digitization, parody).
- WIPO LexWIPO Lex is a one-stop search facility for national laws and treaties on intellectual property (IP) of WIPO, WTO and UN Members. It also features related information which elaborates, analyzes and interprets these laws and treaties. It provides streamlined access to reference material of key importance for optimal information on the global IP System.
Cultural Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Australia Council for the Arts: Protocols for working with Indigenous artistsThe guides spell out clearly the legal as well as the ethical and moral considerations for the use of Indigenous cultural material. They can help people do the right thing. These guides recognise that in Indigenous Australian communities the artist is a custodian of culture, with obligations as well as privileges ... The protocol guides endorse Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights – the rights of Indigenous people to own and control their cultural heritage.
- Cultural Heritage Archives: Networks, Innovation & Collaboration Symposium 2013 - WebcastCultural heritage archives serve as valuable repositories of memory and knowledge that document the ongoing community-based creativity of individuals and groups.
- Illuminating Hidden Histories: The Chinese Archive Unveiled by Yasser Ali Nasser and Matthew Wong Foreman"The Chinese Archive: A Pocket Manual" by co-authors, Yasser Ali Nasser and Matthew Wong Foreman is a pioneering guide that illuminates the current archival crisis in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while offering invaluable, pragmatic advice to budding scholars navigating a tumultuous era of global academic transformation. "The Chinese Archive: A Pocket Manual" is part of the CLIR Pocket Burgundy series which showcases succinct publications addressing a spectrum of subjects within the information and cultural heritage community.
- Indigenous stories, songs and dance protected under new Victorian law‘Intangible’ assets can be added to Aboriginal heritage register, and businesses that exploit Indigenous culture without consent face $1.5m fines
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)Website of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Digital Collection Management (including software)
- Born Digital: Guidance for Donors, Dealers, and Archival RepositoriesCouncil on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)
Software
All of the following software must be run in a server environment, whether that's a physical server, a web hosting or VPS (virtual private server) account, or a virtual environment on your local computer. Installation instructions can be found on the projects' web sites or wikis.
- Omeka
- simplest "all-around" system
- very popular, lots of plugins available
- similar to WordPress
- specializes in still image collections; AV is supported via plugins
- simpler metadata structures/collection organization—item-level description of individual digital media files, rather than finding aids showing the structure and relationships of a collection
- default metadata is Dublin Core, but may support input in other schemata via plugins
- hosted version available
- C100/200 class demo instance (username: classdemo / password: AudioVisual)
- Collective AccessOffers downloadable "Quickstart" packages for Mac OS and Windows that you can run from your own computer.
- ArchivesSpace
- recently released and under active development
- formed by merger of Archivists' Toolkit (AT) and Archon
- specializes in creating finding aids; doesn't offer media streaming functionality
- intended primarily for traditional (paper documents) archives, although can be made to accommodate AV collections
- will likely become the standard archival description tool in the US
- hosted demo (sandbox) available
- administrative interface (username: admin / password: admin)
- public interface
- Avalon Media System
- recently released (August 2013)
- under rapid development: now on v.2, with v.3 expected to be released in Winter 2014
- specializes in AV content streaming; does not appear to support other content types such as still image
- includes built-in HTML5 streaming media server
- includes media conversion tools to create access/deliver files automatically upon upload
- downloadable demo file that can be played through virtual machine software such as VirtualBox
- hosted version: access to public interface only unless you request a guest account.
- AtoM (Access to Memory)Online demo (sandbox) available (username: demo@example.com / password: demo)
Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
- Are you ready? Safeguarding your field recordingsIncludes a list of links that could assist you in disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
- California Preservation ProgramThe California Preservation Program (CPP) provides information, education, and expert assistance on preservation of collections to libraries, archives, historical societies, history museums, and records repositories in California.
- Guidelines for Selecting Solid-State Lighting for MuseumsFrom the Canadian Conservation Institute and the Getty Conservation Institute
- Los Angeles Preservation Network (LAPNet)The Los Angeles Preservation Network (LAPNet) was established in January 1987 to meet some of the preservation needs of librarians, archivists, conservators and records managers working in Los Angeles city and county.
- Midnight in the Garden of Soggy and Damp: The New Year's Eve Disaster at the Virginia Historical SocietyRusch, Stacy and Holly Herro. 2000. "Midnight in the Garden of Soggy and Damp: The New Year's Eve Disaster at the Virginia Historical Society." Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 39, no. 1 (Spring): 127-134
- Protection from Light DamageFrom the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
- Sustaining Places Resources for Small Museums and Historic Sites: Disaster PreparednessThe resources will guide you through the process of creating an emergency plan.
- WESTPAS (Western States and Territories Preservation Assistance Service)WESTPAS (Western States and Territories Preservation Assistance Service) is a regional preservation service. Started in 2007, its goals are to deliver preservation education and training workshops to libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other cultural institutions in 14 participating states and territories.
- WESTPAS Pocket Disaster Plan TemplateWESTPAS Pocket Disaster Plan Template [MS Word DOC]
Ethics
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library, Information and Resource Network (ATSILIRN) ProtocolsThe Protocols are intended to guide libraries, archives and information services in appropriate ways to interact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the communities which the organisations serve, and to handle materials with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content.
- Ethical Principles for Sound and Audiovisual ArchivesIASA Special Publication No. 6
- National Recording Project for Indigenous Performance in Australia ProtocolsThe NRP aims to establish a national framework for recording Australia’s Indigenous performance traditions and sustaining community access to these records.
- Protocols for Native American Archival MaterialsFirst Archivist Circle's best professional practices for culturally responsive care and use of American Indian archival material held by non-tribal organizations.
- Towards an Indigenous Knowledge NoticeCreative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand (CCANZ) is the kaitiaki of the Creative Commons (CC) licences in Aotearoa New Zealand. They provide free legal tools that help people release their works for others to share and reuse, in order to grow the commons, that store of works freely available to access and reuse.
- “Trafficking In Taiwan Aboriginal Voices” by Nancy GuyIn "Handle with Care" (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2002)
Fieldwork and Repatriation
- The Audible Future: Reimagining the Role of Sound Archives and Sound Repatriation in UgandaNannyonga-Tamusuza, Sylvia and Andrew N. Weintraub. 2012. "The Audible Future: Reimagining the Role of Sound Archives and Sound Repatriation in Uganda." Ethnomusicology 56, no. 2 (Spring/Summer): 206-233.
- Fieldwork and Applied EthnomusicologyJeff Titon, "Sustainable Music: a research blog on the subject of sustainability and music," June 15, 2013.
- For My Own Research Purposes?: Examining Ethnomusicology Field Methods for a Sustainable Music.Topp Fargion, Janet. 2009. "For My Own Research Purposes"?: Examining Ethnomusicology Field Methods for a Sustainable Music." The World of Music: 51, no. 1 (Music and Sustainability): 75-93.
- Monash Country Lines ArchiveThe Monash Country Lines Archive (MCLA) is a collaborative Monash University project between the Monash Indigenous Centre (MIC), Monash Arts and the Faculty of Information Technology with a team of Monash researchers, digital animators and post-graduate students. The Country Lines project aims to assist Indigenous Australian communities in the preservation of stories, knowledge, language and history through animation, and to maintain this knowledge across generations.
- We’ve lost 98% of Indigenous music traditions – who cares?The Conversation Trust (UK)
Grants and Funding
- Foundation Grants for Preservation in Libraries, Archives, and Museums, 2010 EditionA collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the Foundation Center. This publication lists 2,270 grants of $5,000 or more awarded by 505 foundations, from 2005 through the publication date of this guide. It covers grants to public, academic, research, school, and special libraries, and to archives and museums for activities related to conservation and preservation.
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Funded ProjectsLook up projects NEH has funded.
History of Audiovisual Recording
- British Library Sounds Playback & Recording Equipment imagesView images of more than 90 machines from the British Library's collection of playback and recording devices, charting the history of sound reproduction technology.
- Canadian Antique Phonograph SocietyNewsletters, video, etc. from the Canadian Antique Phonograph Society (CAPS). Coverage ranges across all aspects of sound recording and its history: phonographs and gramophones, all types of sound recordings of historic importance, ephemera and related memorabilia. There is particular emphasis placed on the history of recorded sound in Canada.
- The Development of Chinese Records to 1911by Du Jun Min. Canadian Antique Phonograph Society: Antique Phonograph News, Jan.-Feb. 2008.
- Evolution of physical music formats - an interactive timelineThe Vinyl Factory: "Get physical with our interactive timeline which charts the evolution of tangible formats from Edison phonographic cylinders through various iterations of the vinyl record, onto magnetic tape and cassettes before finally plunging into the world of digital and optical discs."
- Forgotten audio formats: Wire recordingFrom espionage to home recording, the colorful life of the longest-used audio medium. By Phil Strongman, Ars Technica, November 29, 2016
- Groovy chemistry: The materials science behind recordsFrom wax to vinyl, chemistry shaped the history of recorded sound. By Matt Davenport (2016). American Chemical Society, Chemical & Engineering News 94, no. 24, p. 16-19.
- Magnetic Tape Viewer - see the sound on a tapeAn intriguing piece of retro gadgetry that lets you view the magnetic patterns recorded on tape.
- Museum Of Obsolete MediaThe Museum Of Obsolete Media, the home for current and obsolete physical media formats, including audio, video, film and data storage. The Museum covers over 440 formats, to assist with their identification and preservation.
- Studer Legend - the history of our tape machinesHistory of Studer tape machines from the Studer Museum.
- Throwback on a Comeback: The Last Cassette Tape FactoryA Look Inside America's Last Remaining Cassette Tape Factory: National Audio Company. Great Big Story, June 2, 2016
Metadata
- Library of Congress Releases Tentative List of Medium of Performance Terms for MusicLCMPT is a stand-alone vocabulary that provides terminology to describe the instruments, voices, etc., used in the performance of musical works. The authorized terms are intended to be used in field 382 of MARC 21 bibliographic records, and may be assigned in both AACR2 and RDA records.
- Metadata for Music ResourcesOnline Music Metadata Clearinghouse, a resource for information about metadata standards and tools and their applications to music. This site is developed and maintained by the Metadata Subcommittee of the Music Library Association’s Bibliographic Control Committee.
- Seeing Standards: A Visualization of the Metadata UniverseContent: Jenn Riley; Design: Devin Becker. Work funded by the Indiana University Libraries White Professional Development Award
Metadata Schemas
Dublin Core (DC)
Probably the most straightforward, and also most widely used for online collections. Not very precise but easy to use. Covers basic descriptive, structural, and technical metadata with only 15 elements.
Public Broadcasting Core (PBCore)
Started as an extension of Dublin Core built for broadcast archives to describe their audiovisual collections. Much more detailed than Dublin Core, especially in structural and technical metadata.
Encoded Archival Description (EAD)
Developed and maintained by the Library of Congress and the Society of American Archivists. Created to describe archival collections in a computer-readable format, expressed as XML. Very good at describing relationships, especially hierarchical relationships within a collection, reflecting the way that archival finding aids are traditionally written. Covers descriptive, structural, and administrative metadata. Very widely used by archives in the US, including some audiovisual archives, despite the fact that it isn't particularly designed for describing audiovisual materials.
METS
Developed by the Library of Congress to describe digital objects and express them in computer-readable, XML format. Sort of a cross between EAD and MARC (see below), but for digital objects rather than archival collections or physical library holdings. Covers descriptive, structural and administrative metadata, with a focus on structural.
MARC
Technically an encoding standard for storage and transmission of bibliographic data. Most frequently paired with AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd Edition) as a descriptive standard, but can be used with other descriptive standards, most notably RDA (Resource Description and Access). The combination of MARC + AACR2 or MARC + RDA is more analogous to the other schemas in this list. Not for the faint of heart.
Outreach
- Extending the Archives: Partnering and Outreach at the Fife Folklore ArchivesWilliams, Randy. 2004. "Extending the Archives: Partnering and Outreach at the Fife Folklore Archives." Folklore Forum 35, no. 1/2: 51-65.
Preservation
- AMIA Supplier Directory: A Global Directory of Services and Suppliers of Audiovisual MediaIntended as an international resource guide for anyone working with audiovisual media. Available at no cost through the AMIA website, the Directory is updated quarterly.
- AV Artifact Atlas (AVAA)A resource for identifying errors and anomalies in analog and digital video. AVAA is built for and by a community of professionals in the field of audiovisual archiving but useful for anyone working with av material.
- BWF MetaEdit (FADGI)BWF MetaEdit permits embedding, validating, and exporting of metadata in Broadcast WAVE Format (BWF) files.
- California Audiovisual Preservation ProjectIn partnership with seventy seven libraries, archives and museums, the California Preservation Program is undertaking a project to provide digitization and access services for historic California audiovisual recordings to serve as an ongoing program.
- California Preservation ProgramThe California Preservation Program (CPP) provides information, education, and expert assistance on preservation of collections to libraries, archives, historical societies, history museums, and records repositories in California.
- The Digital Black HoleJonas Palm, National Archives, Sweden
- Ellen Carrlee Conservation blogConservator specializing in ethnographic and archaeological materials.
- Hollinger Metal EdgeHollinger Metal Edge has been the leading supplier of archival storage products for government and institutional archives, historical societies, museums, libraries, universities, galleries and private collectors for over 60 years.
- IRENE BlogIRENE (Image, Reconstruct, Erase Noise, Etc.) uses digital imaging to safely retrieve sound from historical recordings.
- Monitoring Acidic Off-Gassing Of PlasticsNational Park Service Conserve O Gram.
- National Park Service Conserve O GramsShort, focused leaflets about caring for cultural objects.
- Nine Things to Consider When Assessing Cloud StorageSeth Anderson, AudioVisual Preservation Solutions
- Vinegar Syndrome: An Action PlanJean-Louis Bigourdan, Image Permanence Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology.
- Waxing Poetic: New Tech Revives Sounds from Past TreasuresBy Barbara Tannenbaum in California Magazine (UCB), posted on January 3, 2017
- You Need to Plan Before You Can PreserveJoshua Ranger, AVPreserve Blog