Re: [ARSCLIST] Ampex 456 - tip of the iceberg...chemistry

[Marlan Green <margre@xxxxxxx>]

Marie,

I can assure you that the LOC will share its findings fully. We are dedicated to finding a way of understanding what sticky shed is, how it is activated and accelerated and how we can measure the level of deterioration (if that is what it is) so that we (the audio community) can in fact begin the prioritization of reformatting/digitization of the most degraded materials. And if we can find a way to reverse the process permanently that will be even better, but we're just getting started and my hat off to Richard Hess, who I look forward to working with and all the others who have sone so much research on the subject. We will be calling on you all for help. 

Marlan

Marlan Green
Audiovisual Preservation Specialist
Conservation Division
Preservation Directorate
Library of Congress

202-707-1541

>>> Marie Azile O'Connell <marie.oconnell@xxxxxxx> 06/20/06 8:26 AM >>>
I take my hat off to you Tom!  It's about time someone put out a post such as
yours.  I think Richard Hess has done a fine (no pun intended!) job of keeping
everyone on this list, and other lists, informed about the collective knowledge
of the group.  Well done Richard!  Without people like you, the dots would be
far apart, but you have made them closer.  The picture is coming together. 

So thank you Tom for pointing this out, and I sincerely hope the LOC make their
findings on this issue - findable, and not kept secret like some other places
we are aware of.

Knowledge is power, and with knowledge you can make informed choices.  To me, it
is also about sharing that knowledge, so others can learn.

There we go, that is my speech for today!

Cheers

Marie



Quoting Marlan Green <margre@xxxxxxx>:

> Tom et al, 
>  
> I haven't contributed much to this list. I like to "listen" rather than talk
> since I'm not an Audio Engineer. In response to your message below I couldn't
> agree more. I want to point out to the list that the Library of Congress
> Preservation Directorate is making the research of this very topic and other
> audiovisual materials a high priority and eagerly looks forward to working
> with members of this list, members of ARSC, audiovisual archives, and other
> institutions. Recently a new Chief of Research and Testing was hired. His
> press release is attached or can be found at
> http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2006/06-079.html. Part of the press release
> emphasizes the plan to research sticky shed syndrome. LOC is just now ramping
> up its research facility to address audiovisual materials (previously
> attention was placed on paper and leather). I expect there will be more
> information made available in the coming months and I will forward that
> information to the list.  
>  
>  
> Marlan Green 
>  
>  
>  
> Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
> You know, there should be a special ARSC meeting on this, maybe in
> conjunction with the AES. Let's  
> get the authors of these papers and books if they can be persuaded. Let's get
> some good Chem 101  
> professor to explain all this in layman's terms and let's see if some of the
> big holders of tapes  
> with a lot on the line (ie the record companies and such large institutions
> as the LOC) can put up  
> some $$$ to fund some tape-specific research. I also think if one asked in
> the context of getting to  
> the bottom of this, the folks that Quantegy might share the recipes for the
> sticky tapes (I  
> understand they bought all of 3M's recipes so they must have documentation on
> hand). I can't  
> understand why, all these years after this problem has been discovered, that
> there are all these  
> questions. It seems like the answers are known but the dots aren't connected.
> Richard Hess has done  
> the most dot connecting of anyone who I know of who seems willing to share
> the information. He's got  
> a studio to run and he doesn't own a chemistry lab. So it seems like there
> would be vested interest  
> of the owners of all these valuable sticky tapes to step up and make the
> answers clearer. Maybe  
> there's a political issue I'm not seeing? 
>  
>  
> 
> Marlan Green
> Audiovisual Preservation Specialist
> Conservation Division
> Preservation Directorate
> Library of Congress
> 
> 202-707-1541
> 


Marie O'Connell
Sound Archivist/Sound Engineer/Sound Consultant
Center for Oral History & Cultural Heritage
University of Southern Mississippi
Phone: 601-266-6514
Mobile: 601-329-6911