If you want to preserve correctly your analogue supports, you can find many advices on handling and storage :

• Archives and Records Association: Audio Tape Duration Conversions Charts (inches to minutes duration)
• British Industry Standard: PD 5454:2012 Guide for the storage and exhibition of archival materials
• Audio Engineering Society (US): AES22-1997 (2003): AES recommended practice for audio preservation and restoration |Storage and handling |Storage of polyester-base magnetic tape
• International Association of Sound & Audiovisual Archives: IASA-TC 05 (2014) Handling and Storage of Audio and Video Carriers & IASA-TC 03 (2018 revision) The Safeguarding of the Audiovisual Heritage: Ethics, Principles and Preservation Strategy
• Indiana University (US): FACET – the Field Audio Evaluation Collection Tool: format characteristics and preservation problems
• Library of Congress (US): Care, Handling and Storage of Audio Visual Materials
• Audio Engineering Society (US): AES-11id (2006): AES Information document for Preservation of audio recordings -Extended term storage environment for multiple media archives
• Audio Engineering Society (US) AES49-2005 (r2010): AES standard for audio preservation and restoration |Magnetic tape | Care and handling practices for extended usage
• National Library Of Canada: The Care and Handling of Recorded Sound Materials (more detailed advice)

Here are some links about restoration work :

• British Library: Manual of Analogue Audio Restoration Techniques
• Syracuse University Library: Disaster Recovery Manual (pages 18-21)

 Archival Audio Preservation

The following slides are from a webinar on Archival Audio Preservation by Conor Q. Walker, Audio Preservation Engineer for Unlocking Our Sound Heritage (National Library of Scotland).

Is there something we’ve missed? Please let us know on scotlandssounds@nls.uk – we’re keen to keep updating this list.