Thoughts on Oral Histories

            Part of my job over the last six years has been to transcribe audiotapes from oral history projects at each of the institutions where I am a consultant.  I’ve blogged about this before, but recently as I have been finishing a project for one of the institutions I was reminded of some considerations I haven’t yet mentioned.  As I noted before I do verbatim transcriptions, which can be tedious, but are worth the effort.  That does require that the tape be of at least decent quality.  Unfortunately not all tapes are salvageable.  We have access to a machine that can be tuned to reduce background noise and enhance the voice recordings, but it’s not a miracle worker.  Sometimes you have to admit defeat.  Now I know there are companies that can take damaged recordings and salvage them, but some recordings are just not worth the cost.  It’s hard to admit defeat, but I have three that I just can’t transcribe.  What I will do is recommend that the institution keep the tapes in case there is a way to enhance them later.  Of course, the best way to increase the longevity of tapes is to store them vertically in a cool (about 68 degrees F, but not below 40 degrees), dry place in an acid free box.  The following pdf has good suggestions for care.   http://www.iowaconserveandpreserve.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/AudioTipSheet.pdf 

Digitization of your special tapes is a good idea.  I have had the impossible to transcribe tapes burned to a CD so at least there is a copy should the original audiotape completely crater. 

                Another issue if you are considering digitization is to make sure that you have signed permissions from the participants since making a tape public can potentially cause legal problems.  Keeping the recording so that it is available only within the institution is one solution that some institutions have tried.  Some choose to make it public and take their chances with a possible lawsuit. The potential issues are copyright and privacy.  If you have any doubt consult a lawyer.

Disaster Planning

         Abilene flooded this week.  Abilene always floods even if there is only a little rain.  You think they would have planned the drainage better, but since it seldom rains, the attitude throughout West Texas seems to be “why bother”.  So far none of the archives have flooded to my knowledge, but that doesn’t mean some of them can’t.

        The first thing to consider in disaster planning is to determine the type of disasters that could potentially occur in your region and rank them according to likelihood of happening.  For instance, tornadoes are fairly common here as are severe storms causing flooding or hail damage.  On the other hand earthquakes are not so likely and we never have a tsunami.  Once you have prioritized possible dangers, next you need to do a site assessment. This step applies to an institution preparing for emergencies and also to a person considering potential home emergencies.  For example, my cousin has gotten pretty good at loading her belongings so she can evacuate quickly in the face of fire.  She’s had to do that all too frequently.  Once you have objectively assessed your site then it’s time to correct any problems that you might have found, such as, providing adequate locks to protect from theft, appropriate fire extinguishers.  (In some cases, a fire suppression capability may be better than a sprinkler system.)  

           An emergency call list should be available for every staff member and you should have one next to your phone at home or on your smart phone.  For an institution the list should specify who gets notified first if something untoward happens.  Of course the library directors or their assistants are at the top of the list, but sometimes the institution chooses the employee who lives the closest to be the first to be called.  It goes without saying that an emergency list includes police, fire, and maintenance. Did I leave anyone out? Once you have devised a plan for each potential type of disaster then you need to practice and to train your personnel for each emergency.  In some instances you need to act immediately to ameliorate the damage.  For example, being prepared for floods would include having arrangements with local businesses to provide freeze drying of materials.  Freeze drying deters the growth of mold and protects the material until you can begin the process of drying it.  Having a list of potential conservators available is another good idea.  For libraries and museums you need to prioritize the value of the material in your care.  A first edition book may be a lot more valuable than a magazine.  Think of it as triage for objects.  Hopefully before the disaster you have had your most valuable material appraised and have purchased appropriate insurance. 

          Thinking and planning for the unthinkable is important for everyone.