Grad Student Support

Organization

• Audio Visual Heritage Association of British Columbia (AVBC)

Email

• avheritagebc@gmail.com

Address

520 E 1st Ave
Vancouver, British Columbia V5T 0H2
Canada
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Supervising Librarian/Archivist

• Name: Jana Grazley
• Email: jana.grazley@gmail.com
  
• Phone: (604) 442-6930

Purpose of the project:

The Audio Visual Heritage Association of British Columbia (AVBC) is a non-profit society incorporated in 1999 with a mandate to “promote and facilitate preservation, conservation and public access to the audio-visual heritage of British Columbia and Canada.” Since the mandate was developed, the needs of local organizations and individuals have shifted and AVBC has identified a gap through community surveys; not only are organizations underfunded and feel they lack the expertise to digitize/preserve media, many want to provide access to materials on their own terms. Therefore, AVBC works in a consulting role to support organizations’ needs around media preservation and management, as well as prioritizes education and mentorship around AV archival work.

Most recently AVBC has partnered with Creative BC to strategize and create a plan for their archive of legacy film and television materials stored in an off site storage facility and at risk of deterioration and loss. The purpose of this project is to work from an existing inventory to research the works represented and prepare archival appraisal recommendations and a strategy for next steps. The inventory contains descriptions of ca. 1300 media objects, mainly video tapes, with a few films and audio recordings. The materials were funded by the BC Film Commission (now Creative BC) and were deposited by the creators.

With the guidance and support of the AVBC project supervisors, the student would identify tiers of preservation priorities and recommend actions for each tier, and, through reading and conversations with stakeholders, determine where each work fits. An advantage of this approach is that the student could work remotely and wouldn’t need access to the physical materials. It would then be up to Creative BC to decide what to do with the results of the analysis, with the guidance of AVBC.

The project would be completed remotely, with meetings scheduled in person and/or over Zoom with the co-supervisors, Jana Grazley and Kristy Waller (Archivists, Board Members of AVBC). There would also be an opportunity to meet with Creative BC and Filmmaker/Writer Colin Browne who has been involved in this work.

Summary of activities required to carry out the project:

Orientation and project layout:

• Orientation to the Creative BC film/TV inventory and background
• Systems/standards training
• Familiarization with AV appraisal and prioritization methods
• Create a plan for research and mode of delivery

Research and documentation:

• Create appraisal criteria
• Analyze inventory
• Research each piece of media
• Document findings
• Contact creators if necessary/possible
• Identify AV materials to be prioritized for digitization/preservation
• Identify materials to be returned to creators or culled from collection

Documentation of process and next steps:

• Compile a document to report on work completed
• Compile recommendations for next steps

Expectations of the end result of the project, for both host and student:

By the end of the project the student will have prepared a document outlining recommendations for Creative BC and AVBC on the preservation, appraisal and prioritization of the legacy media. Ideally, the document will include information about existing copies in other collections, and a copyright analysis.

The student will gain experience working with media and understanding the complexities of AV appraisal and preservation. The student will be able to assist with planning requirements around access and preservation of the materials. The student will experience working in a non-profit archives setting and reflect on how their archival studies education applies in a professional context where archives are not the organization’s core business.

Time periods in which the project could be supervised:

• Winter Term 1 (September – December)
• Winter Term 2 (January – April)
• Summer Session, Term 1 (May – June)
• Summer Session, Term 2 (July – August)

Is there a deadline by which the project must be completed?

• No deadline.

Considering the project requirements, please suggest suitable coursework as pre-requisite or co-requisite:

Required:

• Completion of the MAS core
  

Recommended (one or more of the following): 

• ARST 550; ARST 520; ARST 587 would be beneficial

Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.