John Raines - audio preservation

This summary details an interview conducted by Gareth Watkins with John Raines, which focuses on Raines' role in audio/visual preservation for the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. Recorded in 2012 in the Castro District, Raines discusses their experience in analogue media and software development, which aids in their work archiving materials from the 1970s and 1980s.

Initially, Raines explains their transition from a career in software development back to media by leveraging their knowledge of both analogue and digital systems. The importance of the GLBT Historical Society, founded by Willie Walker in the 1980s, is underscored. Walker recognized the necessity to preserve significant documents of gay culture, particularly as San Francisco was a hub for the gay liberation movement.

Raines became involved with the Historical Society in 2009 as a volunteer. An exhibit featuring Harvey Milk's bloodstained suit profoundly impacted Raines and underscored the importance of preserving and communicating the history of the GLBT community. Raines also touches on how various artefacts, including Milk's jeans and camera sign, came into the Society’s possession and the importance of provenance in such a collection.

Subsequently, Raines describes their efforts to organize and brand a series of disorganized DVDs to enhance the public's understanding that these were part of the Society's work. The audio/visual holdings of the Society are extensive, with media ranging from the 1940s to the 1990s. Raines mentions Hal O’Neal's super eight films, which document their life as a gay man, and a documentary collection from Karen Everett on Marlon Riggs.

On the audio side, the Society owns a significant amount of phonograph records and open reel tapes, including the Randy Alfred collection of radio masters and a diverse array of recordings from the San Francisco gay men's chorus. Raines discusses the difficulties of media preservation, detailing technical challenges such as transferring analog media to digital formats, dealing with sticky shed syndrome, and the delicate process of handling and repairing historical tapes.

Raines elaborates on the processes of cataloging and digitizing Randy Alfred's collection, The Gay Life, which was meticulously organized and documented. These shows captured critical moments in LGBT history, including the White Night riots. Raines notes the importance of both preservation and accessibility, detailing the process of creating archival masters and service copies for public access.

The interview concludes with Raines’ discussion of the Society's collection policy, emphasizing the relevance of GLBT-focused materials. Looking forward, Raines indicates the intention to tackle the David Lamble collection, foreseeing the significant effort required due to potential disorganization and technical challenges.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

John Raines

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