[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Technological obsolescence



I have also had the experience of the 8" floppies, its almost impossible to
find a 5.25" nowadays.  Another concern is for video and audio formats.
Here at IU, I recently came across a treasure trove of oral history
interviews with Emeritus faculty, taken in the mid-1970's.  These were on
Super Beta, and after a fruitless search for a player on campus and the
local vicinity, we ended up saving them as simply artifacts, and as a
warning/reminder to migrate and reformat.  At least we can still find audio
reel players and can use cassettes recorded 25+ years ago.

C. Harrison S. Wick, M.L.S., M.A.
Archivist, Head of Public & Technical Services
Black Film Center & Archives
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

-----Original Message-----
From: Jacobs, Laura [mailto:LJacobs@FACSTAFF.UWSUPER.EDU]
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 1:37 PM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Re: Technological obsolescence


At an institution where I worked I walked in the first day to find that the
Papers of the Vice-President's office had been conscienciously preserved --
on 8" floppies. I asked if they knew what language the files might be in, if
they had any idea of the content or extent of the records, and also if they
had a machine that could still access the files. All I got was a blank look.
They wouldn't let me discard them....

Laura Jacobs
Information Literacy/Archives
JDH Library
UW-Superior
Belknap & Catlin
Superior, WI 54880

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>