SESSION 2A:
"From Tape to Public Transparency: Audiovisual Preservation Workflows at the Seattle Municipal Archives"
 
OVERVIEW: This session offers an in-depth look at the audiovisual (AV) preservation workflows developed by the Seattle Municipal Archives to safeguard and provide access to the City’s rich media history. As public institutions face increasing demand to preserve aging analog formats while meeting modern access expectations, the Archives has implemented a robust, scalable system for digitizing, cataloging, and storing AV materials. 
 
The presentation will walk attendees through key stages of the process—including assessment, digitization, metadata management, storage solutions, and public access strategies—highlighting the tools, technologies, and decision-making frameworks that guide each step. Special attention will be given to interdepartmental collaboration, resource constraints, and how the Archives balances preservation with transparency and accessibility.
 
Attendees will leave with practical insights, adaptable workflows, and a clearer understanding of the role municipal archives play in ensuring long-term access to audiovisual records in the public trust.
 
GARA COMPETENCY AREAS: "Digital Repository Management" OR "Archives & Long-term Preservation" 
 
PRESENTER: Libby Hopfauf, Audiovisual Archivist, Seattle Municipal Archives
 

Libby Hopfauf

Libby Hopfauf is the Executive Director of Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound (MIPoPS) and Audiovisual Archivist at the Seattle Municipal Archives. She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. Libby is dedicated to creating accessible resources for archivists, promoting intuitive use of open-source tools to support sustainable digitization practices and address the ongoing magnetic media crisis.