[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":198},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news/press-play-surveying-a-v-materials-in-ucla-library-special-collections":3},{"entry":4},{"postDate":5,"id":6,"slug":7,"uri":8,"sectionHandle":9,"title":10,"text":11,"externalResourceUrl":12,"dateCreated":13,"heroImage":14,"category":27,"contributors":32,"locations":36,"associatedStaffMember":37,"blocks":75,"articleCategory":27},"2026-05-01T10:00:00-07:00","10249350","press-play-surveying-a-v-materials-in-ucla-library-special-collections","about/news/press-play-surveying-a-v-materials-in-ucla-library-special-collections","article","Press Play: Surveying A/V materials in UCLA Library Special Collections","\u003Cp>Project manager Joseph Gallucci describes the ongoing effort to document audiovisual materials across Library Special Collections, including discoveries along the way\u003C/p>",null,"2026-04-23T11:54:33-07:00",[15],{"id":16,"image":17},"10252416",[18],{"id":19,"src":20,"height":21,"width":22,"srcset":23,"alt":24,"focalPoint":25},"10252409","https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_fullscreen/IMG_3204.jpeg",1920,2560,"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_375xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_3204.jpeg 375w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_960xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_3204.jpeg 960w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1280xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_3204.jpeg 1280w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1920xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_3204.jpeg 1920w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_2560xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_3204.jpeg 2560w","A binder of audio cassettes from the Stanley Quinn papers",[26,26],0.5,[28],{"id":29,"title":30,"uri":31},"34268","Collections","article-categories/collections",[33],{"byline":34,"title":35},"Written by","Joseph Gallucci, project manager audiovisual survey (PMAVS) of UCLA Library Special Collections",[],[38,56],{"id":39,"email":40,"phone":12,"jobTitle":41,"nameFirst":42,"nameLast":43,"to":44,"consultation":12,"departments":45,"locations":49,"image":55},"3361598","galluccij@library.ucla.edu","Project Manager Audiovisual Survey (PMAVS)","Joseph","Gallucci","joseph-gallucci",[46],{"id":47,"title":48},"6371","Library Special Collections",[50],{"id":51,"title":52,"to":53,"uri":54},"11602","UCLA Library Special Collections","library-special-collections","visit/locations/library-special-collections",[],{"id":57,"email":58,"phone":59,"jobTitle":60,"nameFirst":61,"nameLast":62,"to":63,"consultation":12,"departments":64,"locations":68,"image":74},"12668","ydessem@library.ucla.edu","(310) 206-3982","Head of Audiovisual Preservation","Yasmin","Dessem","yasmin-dessem",[65],{"id":66,"title":67},"6363","Preservation and Conservation",[69],{"id":70,"title":71,"to":72,"uri":73},"523","Powell Library","powell-library","visit/locations/powell-library",[],[76,80,84,88,92,96,100,104],{"id":77,"typeHandle":78,"richText":79,"sectionTitle":12},"10252666","richText","\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">In order to take care of an institution’s collections, it’s first necessary to know exactly what they hold. This might seem like an obvious statement at first, but as any archivist will tell you, it is the crucial first step to any preservation project. And in the case of an institution like UCLA Library, whose Special Collections span more than 100 years to the present, it is also a more daunting and complicated undertaking than it might initially appear.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">In January 2024, I joined UCLA Library as the project manager for the Audiovisual (A/V) Survey, conducted under the Preservation & Conservation Department for \u003Ca href=\"https://craft.library.ucla.edu/visit/locations/library-special-collections\">UCLA Library Special Collections (LSC)\u003C/a>. The purpose of the survey is to create a comprehensive inventory of physical audiovisual assets that are currently held by Library Special Collections, including film, audio and video formats. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">This survey aims to document key information about these A/V materials, including format type, quantity, condition of both the item itself and its housing, and the uniqueness of the recorded content.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"image--full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/IMG_3072.jpg\" alt=\"Some frames from a PSA for the Music Center, featuring the actor Natalie Wood. From the Music Center Records (LSC-3261).\" />\u003Cfigcaption>Some frames from a PSA for the Music Center, featuring the actor Natalie Wood. From the Music Center Records (LSC-3261).\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cbr />\u003C/p>",{"id":81,"typeHandle":78,"richText":82,"sectionTitle":83},"10252668","\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Working closely with Yasmin Dessem, head of audiovisual preservation, we gathered information from Library Special Collections finding aids and consulted with curators from across individual LSC units to aid us in identifying which collections are believed to contain audiovisual material. These units include Performing Arts, \u003Ca href=\"https://craft.library.ucla.edu/organization/university-archives\">University Archives\u003C/a>, the Charles E. Young Research Library and \u003Ca href=\"https://craft.library.ucla.edu/collections/history-of-medicine-and-the-sciences-collection\">Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library History and Special Collections for the Sciences\u003C/a>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">As the survey has progressed, the number of collections represented has only continued to grow. In some cases, we’ve identified collections where audiovisual content was not accurately captured in finding aids; in others, materials emerged as collections were processed and moved out of the backlog. We now have nearly 800 distinct archival collections on our survey list that are believed to contain A/V material.\u003Cbr />\u003C/p>","Mapping A/V Materials in Library Special Collections",{"id":85,"typeHandle":78,"richText":86,"sectionTitle":87},"10252670","\u003Cp>Because the bulk of Library Special Collections material is stored at the \u003Ca href=\"https://craft.library.ucla.edu/visit/locations/southern-regional-library-facility\">Systemwide Library Facility-South\u003C/a> (SLF-S, formerly the Southern Regional Library Facility or SRLF), the survey team has set up workstations for direct access the materials. Working both in the SLF-S reading room and in the stacks, our team pages boxes from off the shelves and logs our findings in the survey’s Airtable database.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"image--full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/IMG_1565.jpeg\" alt=\"Wanda Coleman and La Monte Young, living next door to each other on the shelves at SLF-S.\" />\u003Cfigcaption>Wanda Coleman and La Monte Young, living next door to each other on the shelves at SLF-S.\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>","Surveying on Site at SLF-S",{"id":89,"typeHandle":78,"richText":90,"sectionTitle":91},"10252673","\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">While we can accurately say at this point in the survey that the majority of our audiovisual collections show no obvious signs of advanced degradation, we have unfortunately encountered a number of items in less-than-ideal conditions.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">In some collections, we have identified recordings and other materials with mold, which our team handles through a triaging system developed with Chela Metzger, head of Preservation & Conservation, and Kimi Taira, preventative conservator. Materials afflicted with severe or active mold are separated out from their boxes and moved into a separate bin where they are sealed in plastic bags. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Other conditions we have encountered include:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\u003Cli dir=\"ltr\">\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">exudation, the appearance of a cloudy or sometimes glittery substance on the surface of an acetate disc or reel caused by a chemical breakdown of the plasticizer in the coating \u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli dir=\"ltr\">\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">vinegar syndrome, the breakdown of acetate-based film and tapes that produces a vinegary odor \u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli dir=\"ltr\">\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">water damage\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003Cli dir=\"ltr\">\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">physical damage to the items themselves, including poorly wound reels, crinkled tapes and scratched discs\u003C/p>\u003C/li>\u003C/ul>","Assessing Condition and Treatment Needs",{"id":93,"typeHandle":78,"richText":94,"sectionTitle":95},"10252675","\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">So far, the majority of audiovisual materials in Library Special Collections consist of audio recordings, with video and film elements in a distant second and third place. The bulk of material consists of magnetic media, including ¼” audio tape, audiocassettes, VHS, Betacam, U-matic and other tape-based formats. We also have plenty of grooved media (LPs, transcription discs), optical media (CDs, DVDs) and film elements as well.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">We have been extremely fortunate to work with many UCLA students on this survey, many of whom are current or former Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) students. It is our hope that this survey gives students valuable firsthand experience in handling audiovisual items. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Working together, our students have identified just about every possible A/V format in our collection imaginable, from common formats like VHS tapes and compact discs to more obscure and obsolete ones, including 1” videotape, 8mm films, flexi discs, and even piano rolls!\u003Cbr />\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"image--full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/20251030_110641.jpeg\" alt=\"Close-up detail of a piano roll from the Jimmy Van Heusen collection (PASC-M 127). It counts as A/V! (Photo: Morgan Christie)\" />\u003Cfigcaption>Close-up detail of a piano roll from the Jimmy Van Heusen collection (PASC-M 127). It counts as A/V! (Photo: Morgan Christie)\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>","Current Findings",{"id":97,"typeHandle":78,"richText":98,"sectionTitle":99},"10252676","\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">While the general purpose of the survey is documentation for future preservation, prioritization and decision-making, there have been a few discoveries along the way which we deemed intriguing enough to digitally capture. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Tucked away in a manila folder within the papers of the director, actor, writer and producer Richard Wilson, we found several SoundScriber discs, an obsolete mid-20th-century instantaneous recording format that functioned as a proto-voice memo. The discs contain the voice of Orson Welles, a frequent collaborator of Wilson’s. The recordings capture Welles’ editing notes to himself as he worked on his film adaptation of \u003Cem>Macbeth\u003C/em> (1948). \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">In another collection, our team identified silent Super 8 film footage of runway shows by the legendary designer Bonnie Cashin from the 1970s, which have since been digitized in-house by our A/V Preservation team members Maile Chung and Gabz Norte. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">These are just two of the many fascinating discoveries that have been hiding in our collections.\u003Cbr />\u003C/p>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"image--full\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/Screenshot-2026-01-27-at-9.15.39-PM.jpg\" alt=\"Still from a Super 8mm film labeled “Sills & Co. Fashion Show” in the Bonnie Cashin Collection of Fashion, Theater and Film Costume Design.\" />\u003Cfigcaption>Still from a Super 8mm film labeled “Sills & Co. Fashion Show” in the Bonnie Cashin Collection of Fashion, Theater and Film Costume Design.\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>","Unexpected Discoveries",{"id":101,"typeHandle":78,"richText":102,"sectionTitle":103},"10252678","\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">The survey team recently reached a major milestone: over \u003Cstrong>100,000\u003C/strong> audiovisual items have now been surveyed, and the number continues to grow. \u003Cbr />\u003Cbr />Although we’re nearing the end of the survey and currently down to the last couple dozen collections, many of those remaining are also among the largest. For example, the UCLA Athletics collection alone totals over 780 boxes and contains decades’ worth of recorded UCLA sporting events. \u003C/p>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">So even after two very productive years of surveying, we’ve still got our work cut out for us!\u003Cbr />\u003C/p>","Looking Ahead",{"id":105,"typeHandle":106,"sectionTitle":107,"sectionSummary":12,"highlight":108},"10271053","highlight","Associated Content",[109,130,150,173],{"id":110,"typeHandle":111,"contentLink":112},"10271054","internalContent",[113],{"id":114,"contentType":115,"to":116,"title":117,"text":118,"articleByline2":119,"heroImage":120},"542936","generalContentPage","collections/preservation-conservation","Preservation & Conservation","\u003Cp>The UCLA Library Preservation & Conservation Department provides expert care to library materials so they are accessible now and into the future.\u003C/p>","2023-01-27T17:07:00-08:00",[121],{"id":122,"image":123},"542954",[124],{"id":125,"src":126,"height":21,"width":22,"srcset":127,"alt":128,"focalPoint":129},"1239184","https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_fullscreen/IMG_6267.JPG","https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_375xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_6267.JPG 375w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_960xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_6267.JPG 960w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1280xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_6267.JPG 1280w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1920xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_6267.JPG 1920w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_2560xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_6267.JPG 2560w","Close-up of an illuminated manuscript page",[26,26],{"id":131,"typeHandle":111,"contentLink":132},"10271055",[133],{"id":134,"contentType":115,"to":135,"title":136,"text":137,"articleByline2":138,"heroImage":139},"120889","collections/history-of-medicine-and-the-sciences-collection","History of Medicine and the Sciences Collection","\u003Cp>This LSC collection supports the study of the history of medicine, the life sciences and the physical sciences.\u003C/p>","2022-11-09T13:46:00-08:00",[140],{"id":141,"image":142},"120891",[143],{"id":144,"src":145,"height":146,"width":22,"srcset":147,"alt":148,"focalPoint":149},"37587","https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_fullscreen/SpecCollCardSciences.jpeg",931,"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_375xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/SpecCollCardSciences.jpeg 375w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_960xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/SpecCollCardSciences.jpeg 960w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1280xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/SpecCollCardSciences.jpeg 1280w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1920xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/SpecCollCardSciences.jpeg 1920w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_2560xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/SpecCollCardSciences.jpeg 2560w","Medicine card with baby chicks in a garden",[26,26],{"id":151,"typeHandle":111,"contentLink":152},"10271056",[153],{"id":154,"contentType":155,"to":156,"title":157,"text":158,"articleByline2":159,"heroImage":160},"6238000","collection","collections/explore/bonnie-cashin-collection-of-fashion-theater-and-film-costume-design","Bonnie Cashin Collection of Fashion, Theater and Film Costume Design","\u003Cp>The collection contains Bonnie Cashin's personal archive documenting her design career through design illustrations, writings, paperwork, photographs, press materials and personal memorabilia\u003C/p>","2025-01-24T11:44:00-08:00",[161],{"id":162,"image":163},"6493297",[164],{"id":165,"src":166,"height":167,"width":22,"srcset":168,"alt":169,"focalPoint":170},"6494488","https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_fullscreen/Cashins-illustrations-of-costume-designs-for-theatrical-productions-and-events.-f02-02_2025-02-28-011720_udcl.jpg",3154,"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_375xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/Cashins-illustrations-of-costume-designs-for-theatrical-productions-and-events.-f02-02_2025-02-28-011720_udcl.jpg 375w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_960xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/Cashins-illustrations-of-costume-designs-for-theatrical-productions-and-events.-f02-02_2025-02-28-011720_udcl.jpg 960w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1280xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/Cashins-illustrations-of-costume-designs-for-theatrical-productions-and-events.-f02-02_2025-02-28-011720_udcl.jpg 1280w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1920xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/Cashins-illustrations-of-costume-designs-for-theatrical-productions-and-events.-f02-02_2025-02-28-011720_udcl.jpg 1920w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_2560xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/Cashins-illustrations-of-costume-designs-for-theatrical-productions-and-events.-f02-02_2025-02-28-011720_udcl.jpg 2560w","Cashins illustrations of costume designs for theatrical productions and events",[171,172],0.5475,0.1124,{"id":174,"typeHandle":111,"contentLink":175},"10271057",[176],{"id":177,"contentType":9,"to":178,"title":179,"text":180,"articleCategory":181,"articleByline2":183,"associatedLocations":184,"heroImage":185},"4215273","about/news/preserving-an-obscure-optical-media-format-the-video-cd","Preserving an obscure optical media format – the video CD","\u003Cp>A member of the audiovisual preservation team details their experience digitizing an uncommon home video format\u003C/p>",[182],{"title":30},"2024-06-03T11:00:00-07:00",[],[186],{"id":187,"image":188},"4218946",[189],{"id":190,"src":191,"height":192,"width":22,"srcset":193,"alt":194,"focalPoint":195},"4218944","https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_fullscreen/IMG_8106.png",1024,"https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_375xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_8106.png 375w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_960xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_8106.png 960w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1280xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_8106.png 1280w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_1920xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_8106.png 1920w, https://static.library.ucla.edu/craftassetsprod/images/_2560xAUTO_crop_center-center_none/IMG_8106.png 2560w","VCD Blog Hero showing a video CD (VCD)",[196,197],0.6565,0.4256,1777710625320]