Collections Management
Remediation
Digitization
In a museum and archive there are curators, collection managers, conservators & archivists. Generally, a curator is responsible for bringing in collections, mostly objects; researching and defining them. A collections manager is responsible for the storage and physical care of these objects. A conservator works to protect the condition of the objects by setting standards for storage and exhibition as to prevent damage to the object and often repair them if damaged. An archivists is responsible for the organizing, arranging, storage, researching and defining them. A media archivist does all the things an archivist does but also the conservation of the media. Moving images and sound collections are the most fragile in a museum's holdings. Therefore these collections arrive in a variety of conditions and often damaged. Remediation of the artifact is unique to the format and how the media was damaged. To start with, housing and storage is crucial to the lifespan of the artifact. Temperature and humidity can destroy an artifact or ensure its longevity, sometimes a hundred or more years. The images below illustrate what collections care for media looks like. I have categorized them in 3 sections; collections management, remediation, and digitization. Collections management includes arranging, rehousing, cataloguing and proper storage environment. Remediation includes repairing and other processes to reverse or stabilize the artifact.