Questionnaire on Storage and Maintenance Specifications for Video and Computer Equipment for Media Art

19-10-2009


Together with PACKED, the Netherlands Media Art Institute (NIMk) is currently reviewing the museum's practice in the storage and maintenance of media art equipment and would be very interested to hear from INCCA members what their practice is and what specifications they are using or could recommend.

The first phase of the research concerns Video Playback and Display Equipment, the second phase Computer Equipment.

Our main interest is in long term availability.
How is the long term availability of the equipment guaranteed?


For both Video Equipment and Computer Equipment:



We are particularly interested in the collection policy for equipment.

- Is the equipment dedicated to one particular work / or in use for several art works?
- Do you collect spare parts, spare equipment? Where do you find them (eBay, through a network of collectors, etc.)?
- What is the amount of equipment you store?
- Do you have an accurate inventory of the equipment?
- How do you document your equipment?
- Is the equipment catalogued? How is the equipment linked to the other components of the works?
- If stored separately, how are the manuals, the original boxes, etc. linked to the equipment?


We are also interested to know your practice and recommendations in storage and maintenance.

- Where do you store the equipment; in-house in a separate depot, in a depot with other materials, in the technical lab, external storage?
- Do you consider a (central) depot that you share with other institutions as a valid option for the storage of equipment?
- How do you store your equipment, on a shelf, in a box, wrapped in blankets, on display?
- Did you adopt specific recommendations for RH, temperature, light levels etc.?


For Video Display and Playback Equipment:



- Based on your own experience, what equipment is the most problematic (to store, replace, repair, maintain, find spare parts for, etc.)? Monitors, screens, projectors, decks, etc.?
- Did you adopt specific recommendations for maintenance?
- Who is your expert in dealing with the equipment? In-house / external expert?
- Did you adopt specific recommendations for the storage of the video equipment?


For Computer Equipments:



- How are the necessary software packages, operating systems, etc., stored? And how are they linked to the corresponding hardware?
- Did you adopt specific recommendations for maintenance?
- Who is your expert in dealing with the equipment? In-house / external expert?
- Did you adopt specific recommendations for the storage of computer equipment?


Do you have any other criteria, information on experts, resources or remarks that you would like to share with us?



We will use the outcome of this survey to develop a best practice guide and we will present the results in June 2010 at the MAWCII in Amsterdam.

On behalf of NIMk and PACKED I would like to thank you for your contribution.

I look forward to hearing from you soon

Kind regards,
Gaby Wijers
gaby@nimk.nl