National Archives and Records Service film-vault fire at Suitland, Md. : hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session, June 19 and 21, 1979 (1979)

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50 Because of the short time in which we will need to occupy Building C for storage, however, it has been determined to forgo the new air-conditioning system and instead to repair the present system and install standby compressors. As I mentioned earlier, we have requested funds that would enable us to complete our nitrate conversion process in as little as 2 years after completion of additional laboratory facilities and, thus, substantially reduce the risk of further loss. Our estimates, however, include two significant variables. First, based on our current processing, we are disposing of approximately 40 percent of the newsreel material. This percentage is subject to change, however, as we encounter new time periods and subject areas. Second, our new process for converting aerial film has yet to be thoroughly tested and something unforeseen may necessitate adjustment in the process or a reduction in our projected rate of conversion. Without any increase in funds, the nitrate conversion program would be lengthened considerably. The remaining motion picture film is comprised of the March of Time and Universal newsreel collections — 5.6 million feet and 2.1 million feet respectively — the aerial photographs are those accessioned from several Federal agencies, and the still-picture collection records are from the Army Signal Corps, Navy, Work Projects Administration, and the Department of Agriculture. Excluding the Universal and March of Time collections received between 1971 and 1975, the majority of the nitrate motion picture film accessioned into the Archives resulted from small donations of two to five items, or, like the Ford film collection donated in 1964, were converted with funds provided by the donor organization or agency. By the time the 1969 study on nontextual preservation was prepared, NARS had only 3,000 reels — 2.4 million feet — of nitrate film requiring conversion. Our aerial film was accessioned during the years 1962 through 1977 and although most had been copied on safety film by the time of the December 7, 1978, fire, the original had not been disposed of and requires refilming. This second conversion is required because the technology available to us at the time of the initial conversion did not provide a satisfactory image. This is particularly true for some of our user groups — specifically those researchers using the photographs in connection with archeological endeavors who have recently expressed interest in these collections. We were aware of the limitations of the copying process and resulting product at the time we began the conversion process, but we were also working under the assumption that NARS would retain indefinitely the nitrate original for purposes of making sharp reproductions— the copy being made onlv as a safety or preservation copy in case the originals were accidentally destroyed. This was because some image loss in copying is unavoidable, no matter hoAv advanced the technology or how carefully applied. NARS, however, changed its policy and ordered the destruction of the nitrate originals as a safety measure afj:er the August 1977 fire.