6. Documentation

Each recording must be given an accession number for the purpose of identification, and the material should be stored in this order. Basic cataloguing and indexing data will include the following:

title of the programme;

names of those taking part in the programme;

date the programme was transmitted;

subjects of the programme;

category of the programme.

Cataloguing and indexing are expensive activities, although they are essential for the exploitation of the sound archive. The systems adopted should be as simple as is compatible with effectiveness. Complex schemes should be avoided, for it is important that the production staff themselves should be able to research their own needs.

In the earliest days of a sound archive it is recommended that single cards are used for each entry; never lists, which are difficult and cumbersome to keep up to date. Later the entries should be held on computer and regular up-datings and print-outs provided.

Copies of useful documentation produced by the production departments about their programmes should be received by the sound archive as essential aids to the cataloguing of the material. Such documentation might include programme digests, scripts and publicity material which may be usefully retained within the sound archive as an aid to future users.