At the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research I primarily digitized 1/4" open-reel audio tapes from non-commercial recordings of lectures, performances and interviews. Originally recorded on flexible Sound Scriber vinyl discs from 1947-1949 , these recordings were migrated onto tape soon after the formation of the YIVO Sound Archive. Being an institution primarily dedicated to the study of Yiddish, the topics of these recordings ranged from false messianic movements in the late medieval period to the survival of Jews during the Holocaust.
In trying to understand the arrangement collections, I had to both consult contemporary YIVO publications and well as have present the original physical discs. By looking at the newsletters I gained an understanding of the content and audience of these lectures, matching them up with lecture titles that were usually presentations of essays developed by the lecturers. Secondly, by matching the tapes to the sides of the discs I was able to better represent the original objects as they appear to most researchers in ArchiveSpace. Overall all my experience at YIVO allowed me to deepen my archival description skills as well as unlocked an opportunity for me to further my knowledge of Yiddish and Yiddish culture.
YIVO
