I had the pleasure of being the first media preservation intern at Emory Libraries this summer. The media preservation department is split into the audiovisual labs, the 2D and 3D still imaging labs, and the metadata services team. This department, as a whole, works together to digitally capture the information found in different media formats, make it accessible, and preserve the physical media.
My focus
Intern Johana Canales working in one of the Media Preservation suites
Coming from an AV background mainly focused on film and archival processing, I hoped to gain hands-on experience with other types of audiovisual media and learn how to digitize them. My supervisor, head of media preservation Nina Rao, worked closely with me throughout the internship to ensure that I was learning everything intended. I was assigned multiple items to digitize from the Kathleen Cleaver Collection (MSS 1497), a Rose Library priority, featuring various media types like compact cassette tapes, open reel tapes, and VHS. I also worked on multiple patron requests, which provided me with insights into the materials being used and requested at Emory.
Working with audio
I began my internship by digitizing compact cassette tapes and learning how to adjust volume levels, speed, and trim excess blank space on the Audacity platform. A problematic tape was often an excellent opportunity to learn something new. I repaired broken tapes and transferred them to new shells. I then progressed to digitizing open-reel tapes, CDs, and phonograph discs, which followed a similar process but came with unique quirks. For example, open-reel tapes often had audio tracks recorded but going in different directions and needing to be separated, slowed or sped-up, and reversed in post-editing.
Working with visual materials
I had the opportunity to work with 8mm film from the Constance W. Curry Papers (MSS 818) to add leader film and help identify the content within each reel. I also learned how to digitize VHS tapes, which involved comparing and adjusting the contrast, brightness, color, and hue levels from the images displayed on the computer to match those from the source material. I learned to use scripts in the Mac Terminal to create bags to package information from the videos and ingest into The Keep, the digital repository used by the media preservation department to store preservation and access copies of audiovisual materials. I also used scripts to re-wrap and transcode different file formats using ffmpeg.
Taking notes
Throughout the digitization process, I took notes on the adjustments I was making to distinguish between the interventions performed by me and the inherent qualities of the source material. Different tapes were in various stages of deterioration, which sometimes affected the sound and/or the picture quality. I recorded notes about the different magnetic phenomena that appeared, as well as the content of the tapes, to help assist in describing the items more accurately in the finding aid.
Building an AV rack
I had the rare opportunity to help build a new audiovisual rack for the video lab. I learned to identify different cables and created a specific diagram to display the different input and output connections between the various machines. I am so excited to be leaving this internship with the ability to build an audiovisual setup from scratch.
Media preservation and its connections
Lastly, I was able to spend some time with the wider media preservation team, as well as related labs and departments, to learn about their workflows and the different programs they use to complete their tasks. This experience widened my perspective on the media preservation field as well as the connections this department has with other departments, such as book and paper conservation and digital archives.
Closing thoughts
I am very grateful to all the professionals who took part in this internship and took the time to share their knowledge and experiences with me. Special thanks to Nina Rao and Bonnie Jean Woolger for their constant guidance and support. Thank you, Emory!
—Johana Canales, 2025 media preservation intern
Emory Libraries Preservation Department