Digitization, rendering and access to less-accessible sound recording at Music Department Library of the Academy of Performing Arts

The stock of the library includes a large collection of sound recordings on old data carriers: standard and LP records, which represent very important resource for performers. They have been extensively used inside and outside of the library, so they are becoming physically destroyed. The collection also contains rare recordings (interpretations, compositions) which are not available in a digital form (CD). The goal of the project is to identify and protect unique recordings and make them accessible for our students. The project was carried out in several steps: selection of the titles, digitalization of the records, restoration of the recording (noise filtering, crack removal), compression to mp3 format, placement of the files on the distribution server and finally updating the library electronic catalogue records with URLs pointing to the files. Completing these steps provides access to the recordings via the computer network directly following a search for the recording in the library catalogue. There is no more need to handle disc, the comfort level of the service increases, and the possibility to listen outside the library expands. In order to protect the author's copyright it will only be possible to access the recording for study purpose inside the network of the Academy (talks remain in progress). The goal of the project is to identify and protect unique recordings and make them accessible for our students. The project was carried out in several steps: selection of the titles, digitalization of the records, restoration of the recording (noise filtering, crack removal), compression to mp3 format, placement of the files on the distribution server and finally updating the library electronic catalogue records with URLs pointing to the files. Completing these steps provides access to the recordings via the computer network directly following a search for the recording in the library catalogue. There is no more need to handle disc, the comfort level of the service increases, and the possibility to listen outside the library expands. In order to protect the author's copyright it will only be possible to access the recording for study purpose inside the network of the Academy (talks remain in progress).

Author information:

Born 1958. Graduated from the Conservatory in Teplice 1980 (the piano palying). 1984 received PhD degree, Faculty of Philosophy, Charles University Prague, Department of Music Science. 1999 finished study in Library and Information Science in National Library in Prague. 1990-93 took part on developing of automation system in Music Information Centre, which was focused on documentation of contemporary music life. Since 1994 director of the Library of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Oriented to implementation of new technology in information and library services. Solved a number of projects in this field. Other topics of interests: methodology of describing special types of documents, data conversation, music librarianship. Member of Czech Cataloguing Policy Board, Working Group on Cataloguing of Non-Book Materials and Printed Music and Working Group on Academic Libraries of Council of Universities. External teacher at the Institute of Information Studies and Librarianship at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague.