If Transcription Discs Could Talk (Forever): Assessment of the James Cathro Collection of Hawaiian Music Transcription Discs at Sinclair Library

Abstract

In mid-2018, Laila Brown and Kazuko Hioki conducted an in-depth collection survey at UHM’s Sinclair Library focused on transcription discs in the James Cathro Collection of the Hawaiian Music Archive. Using the free and innovative online Preservation Self-Assessment Survey (PSAP) (https://psap.library.illinois.edu/about) made available by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, we surveyed a total of 268 transcription discs, the most volatile materials in the collection, and thus the most urgently in need of preservation. Our survey results allowed us to identify specific preservation concerns and priorities for the collection. Through the narrative of our survey experience, we aim to share practical library assessment tools and knowledge. PSAP democratizes library assessment by empowering LIS professionals, who might otherwise be constrained by limits in time or expertise, to conduct thorough assessments of an array of material types. The online format of the survey also translates into greater standardization of assessment terminology and procedures, enabling LIS professionals to better situate the data they collect within a greater body of knowledge.