VHS Preservation: The Race Against Time to Save Valuable Historical Material

Before the era of streaming and digital downloads, the VHS (Video Home System) stood as the cornerstone of home entertainment. Launched in Japan in 1976, it became a staple in households due to its affordability and compatibility with various television models. Winning the format war against Betamax, VHS not only revolutionized how people consumed media but also sparked a new wave of amateur filmmaking and home video collections. Recognizing the format's impact, Harvard's curatorial teams swiftly began collecting a wealth of materials on VHS, amassing what likely amounts to tens of thousands of tapes.

However, the clock is ticking. Fifty years post-launch, VHS technology is virtually defunct. The magnetic tapes housed within these cassettes are prone to degradation over time, leaving curators, archivists, and conservators racing to salvage as much as possible before irreversible loss occurs.

In one of Harvard's climate-controlled vaults, Joanne Donovan, the lead archivist for visual materials and recorded sound at the Schlesinger Library, recently uncovered a tape titled “Honoring the Wisdom of Experience,” dated from November 11, 1995. This tape is a part of Louisa Pinkham Howe’s collection, a sociologist who significantly contributed to discussions surrounding race and education in the U.S. Yet, despite its historical importance, it remains digitization-less.

“Given the ephemeral nature of this medium, digitization is a top priority,” Donovan explained. “The narratives surrounding women, especially women of color, are at risk of disappearing.” Presently, the Schlesinger Library houses approximately 5,000 VHS tapes, though only about 25% have undergone digital conversion. As fresh digitized items return, many show signs of degradation; "snowiness" in the footage indicates poor preservation quality.

The time frame from the mid-1970s to the late '90s was formative in American culture, much of which was captured on the Mylar tape of VHS. The library's collection documents vital cultural phenomena, including the women’s music movement, oral histories, and notable figures like chef Julia Child and poet June Jordan. Additionally, items from the Busch-Reisinger Museum feature contributions by German artist Joseph Beuys, who viewed videocassette technology as a democratizing medium within the art world.

Sadly, despite its potential, video art often remains trapped in institutional archives. “You can’t use the tape repeatedly without risking damage, which means many artworks remain underrepresented in galleries,” said Lynette Roth, curator at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. To combat this neglect, a digitization project overseen by Susan Costello aims to preserve these analog works without compromising their essence.

Costello detailed the complexities involved in this digitization effort. “It sounds simple to box everything up for digitization, but the process requires considerable preparation,” she noted. Each item demands a detailed condition report and careful valuation before leaving their secure home, with special casings sometimes needed to ensure safe transit.

Last May, art movers transferred about 70 analog pieces to Harvard Library's Media Preservation Lab, where a dedicated team including Kaylie Ackerman and Melanie Meents strives to protect the fragile formats. Their tasks resemble a rescue mission, grappling with issues like sticky shed syndrome, where older tapes become mired in their own layers, risking irreparable damage when played.

“Playing a compromised tape can erase it in the worst way possible,” Ackerman warned. The team employs an unconventional solution: baking the tapes in specialized laboratory ovens set to 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit for up to five days. This process temporarily rejuvenates the material, allowing for a successful preservation transfer.

“The stakes are high because once the film becomes too degraded, we might have one shot to digitize it,” Ackerman added. “Our goal is to digitize these materials to prevent their disappearance altogether, as they hold significant value for scholarly work and teaching at Harvard. It's essential that future generations can access these resources, ensuring their relevance for another 150 years.”