Utaina! project update
Utaina! is a multi-year project to preserve and protect the Crowns Audiovisual taonga. The project is now well underway with a full survey of items in our holdings and the beginnings of preparing the items for digitisation. Find our what our teams have been up to.
12 October 2022
Along with Archives New Zealand holdings there will be collections from National Library of New Zealand and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision as part of Utaina. A lot of preparation work is being carried out ahead of physically sending items from Archives New Zealand’s holdings to the Memnon team based in Lower Hutt, Wellington for digitisation.
These range from relatively well-known formats such as cassettes and videos to the more obscure types like Sepmag [magnetic sound on film], DAT and open reel tapes. Each format has its own special requirements for its handling and surveying.
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![A woman with a mask holding a circular magnetic film with 3 people with masks in the background watching, one of them holding a laptop in her arms.]()
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![Closeup of a circular magnetic film with a hand holding it.]()
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The survey involved locating every item in scope within Archive New Zealand’s extensive holdings to be physically assessed. The Preservation Technicians checked the physical condition of the item, that the descriptive and technical records are correct in our Collections system.
In addition, records are inspected to provide any additional information that Memnon has requested to manage the digitisation process, such as format, speed, audio filters and orientation. This work is crucial, as any issues or amendments need to be addressed prior to the items reaching the digitisation stage.
Our next step is assigning each item a barcode. Each item’s unique barcode will be matched with its intellectual record in Archive New Zealand’s Collections system. Records will be scanned at every step in the journey into a logistics tool. From leaving the repository, arriving at Memnon’s digitisation studio and again on return. This way, the item can be tracked at every step of its journey and a record is created of where and why it has changed location.
In August we hosted the Memnon team for a site visit to check out our holdings and provide us with an opportunity to exchange information and ask questions. The Utaina! team have also been on a site visit to Memnon out at Lower Hutt.
As part of preparing for digitisation we have also had audiovisual taonga transferred from the regional offices of Ōtepoti Dunedin and Ōtautahi Christchurch to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. They were collected by FIL Crown who drove them up and escorted them across on the ferry, to bring them safely to Archives’ head office. Our Principal Advisor (Services to Māori) was on site in the South to perform karakia and our Kaihautu performed a karakia as they were brought into the building
The Preservation Technicians who have been carrying out this work are invaluable members of the Utaina! project. The information they are recording will deepen our understanding of our holdings and collections, greatly aid Memnon in efficiently digitising the AV material and accelerate our capability to preserve our AV holdings for the future.