03/30/2025
This is a great Library of Congress article/blog post on the need to urgently archive magnetic tape (audio tape in this use case). However, the principles of "sticky" tape and loss of magnetic properties applies to BOTH audio and video tape. Your best bet is to contact me and discuss your specific collection of tape and determine the best move to preserve the content before it is too late. "Sticky shed" as noted in this article is very real (I have witnessed it), and content is therefore most forever, especially with tapes over 30 years old. "Do it now" isn't just an old adage, it is critical if you want to preserve and safeguard your memories.
How do we preserve open reel audio tapes? How quickly are they breaking down? Recently published work from a collaborative study between scientists at the Library and colleagues at FUJIFILM shows that many of these historic tapes are likely sticking around for a while.
