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Meic

There are well-established international standards for audio file formats for long-term preservation, which basically recommend PCM .wav files at a minimum of 44.1kHz/16 bit for new fieldwork recordings (48kHz/24bit is better); and 96kHz/24bit for the digitisation of analogue originals.

You can find these at the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives’ website at http://www.iasa-web.org/iasa-special-and-technical-publications (TC03 and TC04 are the most relevant).

The Oral History Society and ARA run a joint day-course for archivists, the ‘Archival Management of Oral History Collections’, at the British Library. Details here http://www.ohs.org.uk/training/archival-management-of-oral-history-collections/. The next course is full but more are planned.

With best wishes

Rob

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Dr Robert B Perks
Lead Curator, Oral History & Director, National Life Stories

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From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenny Mitcham
Sent: 03 November 2016 14:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Soundfile formats for long-term preservation

Hi,

I could try and explain but I wouldn't do it very well....a much better thing to do would be to point you to a DPC Technology Watch Report called 'Preserving Moving Pictures and Sound' which you can find here: http://dx.doi.org/10.7207/twr12-01

See in particular the conclusions on page 23.

All the best,

Jen

On 3 November 2016 at 13:52, Meic Pierce Owen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Thanks J

If you have a moment, could you share why?

From: Jenny Mitcham [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 November 2016 13:51
To: Meic Pierce Owen
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Soundfile formats for long-term preservation

Hi,

Uncompressed broadcast WAV format would be your best option.

Cheers,

Jen

On 3 November 2016 at 13:40, Meic Pierce Owen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi List

I wonder if anyone could offer some advice on current practice on soundfile formats to use when recording now with the intention of long-term preservation (100 years).

My instinct would be to follow the same line of thought as with digital documents where PDFa is a top favoured format on the basis that the use of the adobe platform is ubiquitous and in practical terms, open access.

Following this logic I would be drawn towards WAV. as a simple, robust and straight-forward option.

I would welcome the thoughts on the List on this

Cheers

Meic

Meic Pierce Owen FIRMS, AMIRMS, FIIM

Records Manager

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Jenny Mitcham
Digital Archivist
Borthwick Institute for Archives

University of York
Heslington
York
YO10 5DD

Telephone: 01904 321170

Borthwick Institute website: http://www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/
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