Audio tape preservation

Our library has a collection of brittle reel to reel audio tapes made in
the 1960s.  At one time we were going to transfer the reel to reel to
video tape as a means to preserve the sound.  We discovered the reel
tape was too fragile and thus never completed the transfer.  Now we want
to try one more time to transfer the reel but this time to CD.

Questions:

    *   Is anyone doing reel to reel sound transfer to CD?

    *   What are the costs associated with this?  We think we can
    purchase the CD recorder and other necessary equipment for well
    under $10,000 but wonder if we have the staff expertise to massage
    the brittle tape.  ** What would it cost to send to a vendor?

    *   Is there a way to back or support the brittle tape, i.e. mount
    it on a material to give it the support it needs for one last play?

Barbara Sagraves
Preservation Department
Northwestern University Library
1935 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL  60208-2300
708-491-7786
Fax: 708-491-8306

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:73
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 8, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-73-012
                                  ***