Role of an Archivist

If you have a collection of videotapes, it is important that you or your organization become involved in preservation. Videotape is not an archival medium. Because of many factors, including storage conditions, and technical problems in the original manufacturing, the tapes themselves can deteriorate. In addition, many of the early formats and the equipment on which to play them are now obsolete.

Jim Wheeler has outlined the functions of an archivist. His recommendations are available in Television and Video Preservation 1997: A Report on the Current State of American Television and Video Preservation, Volume 5, by William T. Murphy. Report of the Librarian of Congress. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents.

• To collect materials according to the policy and mission of your organization
• To organize the collection
• To safely store the materials in the collection
• To catalog the materials so you can access information about it easily and share that information with others
• To provide access to the works, if this is part of your organization's mission, by providing appropriate playback equipment
• To put materials onto contemporary formats

The Society of American Archivists suggests "The primary task of the archivist is to establish and maintain physical and intellectual control over records of enduring value. The archivist selects, arranges, describes, and ensures the long-term preservation of such records, and assists researchers who wish to use them." See the FAQ section of the Society of American Archivists.