The Archives New Digital Work Station

The Archives has begun an ambitious project to digitize components of its audio-visual collection that are deteriorating because of old age.  Currently, Archives staff is using the workstation to process documents, audio recordings, and photographs for the Michigan Humanities Council grant project and the Anatomy of a Murder Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration Web exhibit.  Staff also actively uses the workstation to process reference requests that include digital copies of archival material. 

The workstation is comprised of the following hardware and software components:

Upon completion of the exhibit projects, the Archives will begin the conversion of its three-quarter inch, Numatic, video collection to a digital format.  Northern Michigan University’s WNMU-TV station and Audio-Visual Department used this format as the primary recording media in the 1970s and 1980s.  The collection represents an exceptional documentation of University events, activities, and television productions.  Unfortunately, the passage of time has begun to wear on the tapes and many are beginning to deteriorate.  Already, many tapes have become unusable.  Furthermore, viewing of the tapes requires the use of an archaic Numatic playback machine that is also nearing the end of its life.  Conversion of the collection to a digital format will allow the Archives to save the collection from further deterioration and provide far better patron access.