CCI Newsletter, No. 32, November 2003

Preservation Quest: How to preserve your home movies, CDs, videos, and more

by Linda Street, Senior Advisor

CCI has organized a number of symposia over the years, but this one marked the first time that an event was included for the general public. Organized in partnership with the Library and Archives Canada (LAC), the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), and the AV Preservation Trust, "Preservation Quest: How to preserve your home movies, CDs, videos, and more" served as the kick-off event for Symposium 2003 - Preservation of Electronic Records: New Knowledge and Decision-making. Thanks to an extensive marketing and public relations campaign, the day was an unmitigated success.

When the doors of LAC were thrown open on Sunday, September 14, 2003, more than 400 people of all ages arrived to learn more about preserving their home movies, CDs, videos, photos, etc. The activities included a series of information sessions in the Auditorium, an interactive exhibit from the Canada Science and Technology Museum and CCI, a short video ("Fading Away: Canada's Audio-Visual Heritage since 1896") produced by LAC, and a special children's corner. Visitors could also tour LAC's state-of-the-art Audio Conservation Studio, get answers to individual questions in the "Ask the Experts" area, and pick up an assortment of free handouts on how to preserve various types of electronic records.

Guest of honour was Dr. Joe Schwarcz — professor at McGill University, popular radio and television personality on the Discovery Channel and Montreal's CJAD-TV, columnist for the Montreal Gazette and The Washington Post, and Director of the McGill Office for Chemistry and Science. "Dr. Joe" is well-known for his ability to make difficult scientific issues accessible to the general public. His humorous and thought-provoking presentations dealt with paper preservation throughout history and the science of movies. He drew an enthusiastic response from the packed auditorium.

The brisk pace of the day was maintained by Master of Ceremonies Ken Grant (a well-known local radio host and celebrity affectionately dubbed "The General"), who was ably assisted by Chantal Fortier from the Department of Canadian Heritage. These two kept people up-to-the-minute on what activities were taking place throughout the afternoon. They were assisted by an army of volunteers from the host organizations who guaranteed that everything ran smoothly.

Despite a few glitches — such as too few translation headsets and running out of cookies and juice — the day was a smash hit. Some people suggested we take the show on the road, others asked where they could buy the special T-shirt sported by all volunteers, and still others made suggestions for future events. "Preservation Quest" proved that the public has a genuine interest in preserving their electronic records, and that the host institutions are indeed accessible and relevant to Canadians.