Critical to any preservation project is the keeping of records about the condition of materials being preserved. Documentation should be created at each phase of the process: tapes should be physically inspected before being reformatted, actions taken during the reformatting process should be recorded, and remastered tapes should be periodically inspected for signs of deterioration. (For more information on inspection, see the Best Practices section of this website.)

The forms below are examples of the ways in which this information can be recorded. Most institutions have forms like these that have been modified to suit their needs.

Basic Condition Report

This document, created for this website by Independent Media Arts Preservation (IMAP) records basic information about physical condition of a videotape.

Basic condition report (PDF file)

Dub watch form

This form is used by Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) to document actions taken during the remastering process, and to note any defects found during playback.

Excel (XLS) version

PDF version

Reports and Templates from Matters in Media Arts

Condition Report Template [Matters in Media Arts]
This report outlines basic information about exhibited works of art: a general description of the artwork and its condition, basic installation instructions, and the lender’s contact information.

Condition Report Template Addendum: Discs [Matters in Media Arts]
This form includes detailed information about the status of the disc (DVD-Rom, DVD, CD) including a means of noting any defects including scratches and fingerprints.

Condition Report Template Addendum: Tape [Matters in Media Arts]
This form is used in conjunction with the condition report, and includes detailed information unique to videocassettes.

About the document sources

IMAP

Independent Media Arts Preservation, Inc. (IMAP) is a nonprofit service, education, and advocacy organization committed to the preservation of non-commercial electronic media. IMAP has grown from a New York-based consortium of arts organizations and individuals to a national resource for preservation training, information, and advocacy.

Bay Area Video Coalition

Founded in 1976, Bay Area Video Coalition, or BAVC (pronounced "bay-vac") is a nonprofit media arts center that provides access to video technology, sponsors video projects, and provides restoration and preservation services for obsolete videotape formats.

Matters in Media Arts

Curators, conservators, registrars and media technical managers from New Art Trust, MoMA, SFMOMA, and Tate, have formed a consortium to establish best practice guidelines for care of time-based media works of art (for example, video, slide, film, audio and computer-based installations). The Matters in Media Arts website offers extensive resources related to the exhibition of media art.

© 2006-2009 | Independent Media Arts Preservation, Inc.