UB Exhibit on Retro Media is Worth a Look
Friday, 5 June 2009 by Jen
Like many other children of the 70s, I still have a few hundred vinyl LPs, and a few dozen cassette tapes. I have in some cases replaced them with CDs, but there hasn’t been a compelling reason to dispose of the albums to which I have a sentimental attachment. Holding on to media that has outlasted its equipment is a more serious challenge for libraries, which have so many demands on their floor space, and may need to devote more time to current and upcoming media formats.
University at Buffalo libraries currently feature a thoughtful exhibit entitled Retro Media: Memory (and Memories) Lost: The physical exhibit at the UB libraries is complemented by a video tour and a concise, well-constructed website.
The theme of the exhibit: “The past 120 years saw some of the most rapid changes in how we record, collect, and use audio, visual, and now digital information. The pace creates in its wake, a long list of obsolete technologies, some of which, still exist, but for which equipment and storage technologies are not always available. This exhibit reflects this light-speed, developing technology world with a selection of media formats”. Retro Media also highlights the role of libraries in preserving, storing, and using outdated media. To see the exhibit online, visit http://library.buffalo.edu/asl/exhibits/technology/retro-media.html
Or enjoy a video tour of the exhibit: http://theory.isthereason.com/?p=2612