The Field Audio Collection Evaluation Tool (FACET) is a point-based, open-source software tool that ranks audio field collections based on preservation condition, including the level of deterioration they exhibit and the degree of risk they carry. It assesses the characteristics, preservation problems, and modes of deterioration associated with the following formats: open reel tape (polyester, acetate, paper and PVC bases), analog audiocassettes, DAT (Digital Audio Tape), lacquer discs, aluminum discs, and wire recordings.
This document provides detailed information on the characteristics of, and preservation problems associated with, each audio format that may be assessed using FACET. It is not comprehensive and does not attempt to present everything that is known about the formats themselves or the processes by which they deteriorate. Rather, it succinctly covers the format characteristics and preservation problems identified by FACET as contributing to instability, degradation, and/or increased risk, providing specific information to aid in ranking field collections using the FACET software application. Included are descriptions of each characteristic/problem along with guidance on how to identify it and, if appropriate, rate its severity.
The aim of this document is to give archivists the tools needed to increase their understanding of the level of risk carried by the collections they administer as well as to successfully use FACET to assess this risk