Preservation and Digitization Services

The Vendor is required to provide to transfer thousands of tape-based audio and moving image media items to digital files, perform conservation treatments if necessary, provide technical metadata, perform quality control, and generate checksums for preservation and long-term access.
- Library holds significant rare and/or unpublished tape-based audio-visual media in its archives, special collections, and institutional records.
- There are 26 moving image formats and three audio formats represented in the preliminary inventory.
- These materials are frequently requested by library patrons and have been accessed by on-site tape playback machines until recently, when playback was stopped due to risks to fragile and obsolete media carriers.
- In order to continue to provide access to these materials, library seeks to transfer them to digital files following audio-visual media preservation best practices.
- media items are transferred as they are requested by patrons, but the goal is to prevent permanent loss of collection materials by transferring all the tape-based archival holdings (7,000–10,000 media items) to digital files over the next few years
- digitize and preserve library rare and/or unpublished tape-based audio-visual media holdings to prevent further loss and ensure continued access for patrons.
- interested in learning from subject-matter experts and organizations with relevant experience in media preservation about the approaches, best practices, and solutions for tackling the scale, technical challenges, and conservation needs of this project
- Tape-based media transfer projects of more than 5000 items.
- Working with archivists and archival materials.
- Treating media degradation, such as sticky-shed syndrome, mold, and other condition issues.
- Transferring a variety of audio and moving image formats.
- Media preservation and digitization:
• The methodologies for transferring various tape-based audio and moving image formats, with a focus on ensuring the integrity of the original content and long-term accessibility.
• How to effectively address common issues with media degradation, such as sticky-shed syndrome, mold, and other forms of deterioration.
• Best practices for adhering to industry standards, including those published by the Association, and any other relevant preservation guidelines.
• Recommendations for project management strategies that allow for long-term, largescale digitization efforts (including handling a collection of 7,000–10,000 media items over several years).
• The processes and tools used for quality control, technical metadata creation, and checksums to ensure that digital files are usable and properly archived for long-term access.
- Online information session (optional) Date: June 17, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: June 18, 2025