While a powerful concept, the More Product, Less Process model has limited applicability when dealing with audiovisual collections due to condition issues, lack of playback equipment, and frequent lack of identifying annotations on the media object. In order to provide access, plan reformatting, acquire correct equipment, or obtain sufficient knowledge in format handling and use, at least some degree of item level processing must occur with audiovisual collections.
In collaboration with METRO and the Documentary Heritage Program, AVPS has been developing the Audiovisual Community Cataloging toolset (AVCC), a collection of guidelines tools designed to help organizations establish intellectual control over their materials in a more cost-efficient manner. This toolset includes resources for identifying materials, documenting audiovisual assets at basic and more complex levels, and quantifying and analyzing results to help plan for preservation and digitization needs. As part of the Community aspect of AVCC, the toolset also includes guidelines on establishing partnerships with other organizations or volunteer groups in order to combine resources and focus efforts into 'cataloging parties' where a large amount of work can be accomplished in a short period, hurdling those weighty backlogs.
This webinar will display the concepts behind AVCC and the current set of resources that have been developed. AVPS and METRO are looking for organizations to be beta testers of the tools prior to their free release to the public. The session will be of most interest to people looking for ways to document their audiovisual collections or who may be interested in becoming beta testers.
Webinar: Overcoming Backlogs in Audiovisual Collection Processing
Joshua Ranger specializes in data analysis and communication in support of collection management, planning, and resource development. Recent projects have included managing large scale inventories across multiple locations, analysis and conformance of legacy catalog systems, and developing new strategies for utilizing data in collection assessment and advocacy, and he is a frequent contributor to our blog. Joshua initially found/honed his love of information management in the worlds of early American literature, insurance, and the Walt Whitman Electronic Archive. He has earned MAs in Moving Image Archiving & Preservation from NYU and in American Studies from the University of Virginia, and his BA in English from the University of Oregon.
