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Board discusses possibility of using preservation funds to digitize microfiche and VHS archives
Summary
Staff told the board that microfiche, VHS tapes and other archival reels are sitting in the office and asked whether historic preservation advisory board funds should be used to convert them to accessible digital formats; members discussed library-readers and printing options but did not vote on funding.
Staff member (speaker 4) told the board that several archival items — including microfiche reels, VHS tapes and CDs — are stored in the staff office and currently inaccessible to most users because of format limitations. "They're just sitting in my office," the staff member said, and asked whether the Historic Preservation Advisory Board should use its funds to convert those materials to a more accessible format.
Members discussed possible approaches. Chair (speaker 1) said she would check with the library about whether a microfiche reader remains available and whether the library might help with access or printing. Committee member (speaker 2) and others noted that some copies may already exist on a computer or that reels had been created previously for the Reunion and centennial materials; no one supplied a cost estimate, vendor name, or timeline for conversion during the meeting.
The staff member suggested that converting the materials would require spending funds and volunteer time and asked whether the board wanted to consider allocating historic preservation advisory board funds for the work; board members deferred the decision and asked for follow-up information rather than approving a specific expenditure.
Follow-up items recorded in the discussion included checking library equipment, confirming whether digital copies already exist with Riverly or Kurt, and arranging a meeting to copy Edgewater files and finalize a presentation. The meeting produced direction for staff to investigate options, not a funding commitment.
