Pilot Project to Digitize, Catalog, Preserve and Provide Access to “Alaska Review” Collection Camera-Original Videos

Summary

This pilot project aims to digitize, catalog, preserve and provide access to a sampling of camera-original U-matic videotapes within the “Alaska Review” collection in the Alaska Film Archives (AFA) of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives at University of Alaska Fairbanks. “Alaska Review,” a publicly-funded television newsmagazine program airing in Alaska from 1976 to 1987, covered major issues facing the young state. AFA has digitized and cataloged all 63 edited broadcast programs and made segments publicly accessible online (http://bit.ly/1XASERv). AFA now aims to digitize 15% (300) of the approximately 2,000 camera-original U-matic videotapes used in making “Alaska Review.” Grant funds will cover shipping and digitizing at a lab, lab assessment of current videotape condition, portable hard drives for file delivery, and a block of staff time for library cataloging. The Film Archivist will develop strategies for future projects to digitize and make accessible the remainder of collection videotapes.