Using AVDb to survey the CMC archives
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The document summarizes using the AVDb tool to survey the audiovisual collections of the Computer Music Center at Columbia University. It provides details on the history and founding of the center in 1959. It then describes using AVDb to conduct an inventory and condition survey of 5,569 audio recordings and other materials in the archives. The survey found that sound tape reels were in overall good condition but 70% required high preservation priority. The AVDb tool was deemed useful for non-experts to assess preservation needs in the collection.
Using AVDb to survey the CMC archives
- 1. Using AVDb to Survey the Audio Collections of the Computer Music Center at Columbia University
- 2. History of the Center Founded in 1959, by composers Otto Luening & Vladimir Ussachevsky (Columbia) and Milton Babbitt and Roger Sessions (Princeton) Originally Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center Assisted by Rockefeller Foundation grant Became important studio for electronic music both in U.S. and internationally
- 3. RCA MK II Synthesizer
- 4. What’s in the archives? My first task was to conduct an overall inventory of the collection, to see what was there, and to then be able to make some decisions on what portion of the collection needed the most immediate attention… … many hours of counting and inventory go by…
- 5. What’s in the archives? 5,569 sound recordings (299 linear feet) 4,859 are open-reel tapes ( 87% of total recordings) 700 are other formats (DATs, records, etc.) Content includes key early works of electronic music, composer discussions, recordings of Composers Forum concerts, and work tapes of the Center’s composers ca. 72 linear feet of printed documents and manuscripts Administrative records, correspondence, personal papers, music scores and manuscripts, valentines, doodles, limericks, and more…
- 7. Well….gears to control the RCA MK II synthesizer…
- 8. … tape splicing blocks…
- 9. … slides…
- 10. … punched paper rolls that generated music…
- 11. … divas…
- 12. … music scores, and more.
- 13. So, where to begin…?
- 14. So, where to begin…? Different areas of collection have different priorities Documents need control and access Recordings need control and preservation
- 15. Preservation is a precondition to access
- 16. Inventory and condition survey are a precondition to preservation
- 17. What is AVDb? AVDb is a free tool to survey audiovisual collections (Columbia Preservation Division) Built on a Microsoft Access database, and requires Windows Designed for use by non-experts Allows collection- to item-level survey It is a visual survey tool; no playback involved Uses a system of weighted ratings to generate rankings for overall condition, preservation priority, environmental condition, and more
- 18. What data is gathered? Information on: overall condition of the media and the container specific media problems (shedding, cupping, spoking, etc.) the environment media characteristics (tape stock, recording speed, etc.) titles and dates timings
- 19. How was the survey done? In consultation with the Head of Preservation, we determined that a sample size of 350 items would be adequate for the 5,569 recordings I used systematic random sampling , meaning that I worked through the collection, sampling every 16 th recording
- 20. Back into the archives!
- 21. How was AVDb to use? Not practical for tight spaces I designed my own input form for on-site use Identifying, retrieving, and surveying an item took an average of 3 minutes per item Inputting the data from the survey forms took an average of 1.5 minutes per item This works out to just over 26 hours
- 22. What were the results? The survey counted: 31 sound cassettes 295 sound tape reels 11 sound discs 7 sound optical discs 6 videocassettes
- 23. What were the results? Overall condition ratings are from 1 (very good) to 5 (very poor). Preservation priority ratings are from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). sound cassettes 3.94 / 3.68 sound tape reels 2.81 / 3.68 sound discs 2.57 / 3.65 sound optical discs 2.57 / 3.16 videocassettes 3.17 / 3.35
- 24. Some observations on the data Sound cassettes ranked highest in preservation priority due to the DAT format I was surprised by the overall condition rating of 2.81 (good) for tape reels…
- 25. After all, we’ve seen the pictures…
- 26. … However… In the detailed report on preservation priority for tape reels, 208 of 295 (70%) were ranked 4 (high priority) So, that dimension seemed to “ring true”. I think that the survey tool is useful for providing a measured perspective to a visceral response
- 27. Conclusions AVDb is a useful tool, good for non-experts Ratings are useful, but attention should be paid to how they are being calculated (details are provided) Some results may seem counterintuitive, until looked at more closely (DATs) Some enhancements are needed to reporting functions, and to user interface
- 28. Thank You!