Contents:
- I. Introduction
- II. Videotape: A
- Brief History of Videotape Recording
- Videotape Formats
- Tape Types
- Tape Life
- The Most Common Tape Problems III. Preservation Management: 1. Environment
- 2. Care and Handling
- 3. Risk Management
- 4. Reformatting
- 5. Emergency Preparedness
- IV. Appendices
This handbook, originally published in a slightly different form as ‘factsheets’ provides guidelines concerning the primary issues concerning videotape preservation. It is based on practical experience, theoretical research and tests. It begins with an overview of videotape technology, tape types and structure and then moves on to the basic issue of preservation, including storage, care and handling advice and emergency preparedness issues. The appendices include some ‘simple do’s and don’ts’ and a four page glossary of terms.
This is a valuable resource for archives looking for basic, practical advice although the section on reformatting is logically out of date (given the publishing date 2002). It is thus not a resource for those looking for guidance on analogue videotape digitization (migration to digital files). Explicitly written to avoid technical jargon it is one of the most complete and practical handbooks for those managing videotape collections.