Magnetic Tape Alert Project - Final Report Published

Magnetic Tape Alert Project - Final Report Published

We are happy to announce that the final report of the Magnetic Tape Alert Project (MTAP) has been published at https://www.iasa-web.org/magnetic-tape-alert-project . The Information for All Programme (IFAP) of UNESCO, the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA), and the British Library coordinated to conduct a survey of existing audiovisual documents on magnetic tape to serve as a basis for the planning of adequate solutions for the safeguarding of these irreplaceable original documents in the long-term. With over 400 submissions from 76 different countries, more than 8.5 million audiovisual items were accounted for in this survey, of which 4.4 million are audio items and 4.1 million are video items. MTAP Coordinator, Dr. Andrew Pace gathered this information with the assistance of IASA, UNESCO and many other partners around the world. The final report will be kept permanently on the IASA website.

Much of humanity’s linguistic and cultural diversity is recorded on magnetic tape produced over the past 60 years. The only way to preserve these sounds and images and to keep them accessible for future generations is their digitisation and transfer to safe digital repositories, as magnetic tape recordings are now obsolete and replay equipment in operable condition is disappearing rapidly. A great many of these audio and video recordings are still in their original state, kept in small academic or cultural institutions, or in private hands. The Magnetic Tape Alert Project report helps to assess the dimension of the threat to magnetic tape materials so that these institutions can better advocate for preservation initiatives and to strengthen the links between these institutions, in terms of capacity building, awareness, and support.