DIGITIZATION AND DISSEMINATION OF ANALOG VIDEO INVENTORIES OF ABANDONED MINE SITES IN IDAHO

Archiving magnetic video tape as digital files conforming to FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) principles outlined by the USGS is a target of Idaho Geological Survey data preservation efforts. Between the years 1998 and 2002, on contract with the USFS and the BLM, the Survey’s geologists conducted field visits of abandoned mine lands on public property to document potential hazards. Narrated video inventories were captured for hundreds of sites and content includes material of geologic, anthropologic, land-use, economic, and public safety interest. Magnetic video cassette tape has become obsolete and the medium, casings, and mechanical parts subject to degradation from exposure to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Reliable devices to play these media are becoming rare. Digitized footage allows for wide distribution and public access to these unique records. We outline a proven and economical methodology for preserving, discovering, and delivering these data that includes: 1) creating unprocessed archive-quality raw capture using open-source software; 2) encapsulation in an MP4 format supported by many modern devices for playback; 3) geolocation in a database-driven web map to facilitate discovery and file download; and 4) a streaming delivery option.