Anne Douglas wrote:
>Does anyone have a sample condition report for film/video that they could
>fax to me?  I'm at a loss as to how I'm supposed to examine a 4-minute
>continuous loop video that we've borrowed for an upcoming exhibition.

Anne,

I don't think registrars can be expected to be able to do a condition
report for a video tape anymore than they can be expected to do one for a
VCR, a monitor, a laserdisk player or a video projector.  We need to rely
on technicians to help us in this area.  The best I believe a registrar can
do is take an inventory of every piece of equipment, give each a number,
record its exterior condition, and then have someone plug everything in and
see if it works.  Your video tape is a multiple so I wouldn't worry too
much about it - there is an original somewhere else that you can have a
copy made from for exhibition purposes.  I'm sure you have been sent a copy
anyway.

Nevertheless, I would be interested to hear what experience others on this
list have had with reagrd to registration matters and so-called "new
media".

Suzanne

************
Suzanne Quigley
Head Registrar, Collections and Exhibitions
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212 423 3568
fax: 212 423 3650
email: [log in to unmask]