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6.11 Because of the dangers of destruction and loss of the cultural heritage and the importance of av materials in the transmission of information and culture, the provision of professionally qualified personnel to maintain and prolong archives is essential. However systematic training facilities for av archivists do not exist. In the opinion of the Working Party such training facilities should be established in as many centres and regions as possible as a matter of some urgency.
Where
- It is strongly recommended that the training and education of audiovisual archivists should take place in existing archival institutions and institutions of higher education, supported and stimulated by the NGOs concerned. The demand for new institutions at national or international level to teach the staff of film, tv and sound archives is not regarded as realistic nor financially feasible at present.
- existing. regional or national centres such as national archives archive management schools, library and information science departments etc. should be used as well as other resources including archives and film schools which are available in the immediate neighbourhood.
- The Working Party recommends that consideration is given to the value of harmonisation of training for audiovisual archive and library personnel. Coordination between practising audiovisual archivists, librarians and documentalists should be encouraged.
- In this connection a preliminary survey was carried out by the Working Party to indicate potential institutions which might provide training programmes for av archivists. (See Annex 3). The Recommendation of the Working Party is that there is sufficient interest in developing courses for av archives, and a further, in-depth, survey should be conducted to identify those organisations which have the greatest potential for such development, as well as to what extent they would need help to achieve an adequate standard of training.
Who requires training
- training is required for all levels of staff employed in audiovisual archives, and there are different requirements for different levels.
- training programmes are necessary for management staff and skilled specialists in audiovisual archives. New technology requires frequent updating of knowledge at senior level, and for all levels including technical staff
- it is also necessary to raise the general awareness of the importance and need for the proper handling and conservation of audiovisual materials in all situations, from archives and libraries to general use.
Type of Training
- education for audiovisual archivism should be in addition to basic education to at least first degree level for senior and middle managers
- different types of training are necessary, and all should be considered, including full length courses, modular short courses, seminars, symposia and workshops. In the absence of full length training programmes at present, short courses are considered a feasible beginning to building full training programmes.
- the Working Party make recommendations for a draft curricula for a 1-2 year course in the report (see chapter 4). This is one type of training programme
- it may be possible to combine the formal training the one curriculum, with middle and junior levels of staff taking a one year course at a basic level, and more senior management progressing to a second year for more detail. Alternatively optional courses could be offered in particular specialisms and at different levels.
- short courses, seminars, summer schools and workshops should continue to be presented on a regular basis in as many centres as possible brainstorming sessions for exchange of experience for the trainers are necessary
- The Working Party recognises the value of distance learning for av archive training and recommends a feasibility, study or pilot project for av archive training using the Open University/BBC OUPC as an existing example should be implemented
Teaching Materials
- The Working Party made some recommendations for the development of teaching materials
- we recommend that a detailed, but basic manual for archivists should be considered as well as a series of short, direct pamphlets for librarians. These ideas will be presented to the NGO Round Table on Audiovisual Records in March 1990
- there is a notable gap in the provision of av teaching packs, and we recommend that there should be encouragement be Unesco and other organisations to seek funding for these projects with the assistance of the NGOs
- The Working Party recommended that a bibliography of av archive management might be considered as a project in the RAMP studies, to include a list of available av materials
Publicity.
- The Working Party recommend the wide circulation of this report. It is recommended that the report is circulated to all institutions mentioned in Annex 3 etc.
- a meeting of the training committee chairpersons of the NGOs at a seminar to discuss the: report and consider further action
- a Symposium on av training attached to one of the NGO annual conferences
- the Working Party also ask that Unesco take the initiative of informing Ministers of Education concerning the report
The Working Party recommend the production of a short leaflet detailing the main findings and recommendations for publicity purposes.