AES International Conference on Audio Archiving, Preservation & Restoration

In his 2015 International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) Journal article, “Why Media Preservation Can’t Wait: The Gathering Storm,” Indiana University’s Mike Casey writes: “As obsolescence deepens, the knowledge of how to repair old players becomes scarce. Even the knowledge and experience required to successfully play a deteriorating obsolete recording on a legacy playback machine fades away.” While the curriculum of most audio programs is rooted in the born-digital realm, there are a few training programs and initiatives that also focus on the preservation of analog and early digital carriers, and their playback equipment. This panel includes presentations on Iron Mountain Entertainment Services’ first Audio Archiving Workshop that took place last summer; hands-on audio training offered through courses in UCLA’s media archival studies master’s degree program, using its Information Studies Media Preservation Lab; the research and efforts to develop a Media Archival and Restoration program at University of Saint Francis; and a new Education & Training Fellowship Program being created by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC). The presentations will be followed by a discussion on goals and future plans, and a Q&A session with attendees.