---
title: Preserving Analog Audio Collections
description: Keeping analog audio collections in playable condition has become more important and popular in recent years. From vinyl records to cassette tapes and 8-track cartridges, maintaining these collections can be difficult.
---

[Resource Center | Gaylord Archival](https://info.gaylord.com/resources)

# [Preserving Analog Audio Collections](https://info.gaylord.com/resources/preserving-analog-audio-collections)

 Written by [Gaylord Archival](https://info.gaylord.com/resources/author/gaylord-archival) | Dec 14, 2023

Keeping analog audio collections in playable condition has become more important and popular in recent years. From vinyl records to cassette tapes and 8-track cartridges, maintaining these collections can be difficult. When stored in a low-temperature and -humidity environment, the lifespan of the recording can be significantly prolonged. Digitization of the audio recording is recommended to preserve the actual audio.  
Three main causes of damage and deterioration in analog audio artifacts.

1. **Mechanical** – Damage can occur during playback due to improper equipment setup, insufficient operator training or mechanical failures. Items can become scratched, stretched or broken. Service playback machines regularly based on usage frequency. Train all users on audio equipment before operating it.
2. **Handling** – Damage can occur during inspection, cleaning, transfer or transport. Items can be scratched, cracked, broken or bent. Support all objects fully and avoid touching the audio track or playback area.
3. **Environmental or Chemical Breakdown** – All formats will naturally deteriorate over time. However, damage can be accelerated by prolonged exposure to, or continuous fluctuations in, high temperature and humidity; reactions to cleaning products; or water and fungal growth. Poor housing also makes objects more vulnerable to these agents of deterioration.

Storage materials should be acid- and lignin-free and sturdy to protect objects from pollutants, water and light damage. Generally, do not keep recordings in their original housing materials for long periods; they are typically made from paper that will break down and become acidic over time. Polyester sleeves and envelopes can protect against fingerprints and environmental pollutants.

Store objects in a stable, controlled environment, never near sources of heat or light (especially ultraviolet light), as plastics are adversely affected by both. Do not place heavy objects on top of recordings. Never place recordings on top of each other. Shelve recordings vertically; do not stack "off vertical" or horizontally. Do not use shelving units where supports put more pressure on one area of the recording or where supports are more than four to six inches apart.

Keep storage areas at consistently low temperatures and humidity. For long-term storage, keep the temperature between 46-53°F and the relative humidity between 25-35%. Do not store at or below freezing.

## Vinyl Records

- Keep records free of any foreign matter deposits
- Do not interfile recordings of different sizes, as smaller items may get lost or damaged, while larger items may be subjected to uneven pressure
- Remove shrink-wrap on LPs completely; shrink-wrap can continue to shrink, thus warping the disc

The plastics used in phonograph records will probably degrade over time, but you can take steps to keep them playable as long as possible. The life of your records will be greatly affected by storage conditions. Store your records between 60 and 70 degrees, 45 to 65% RH, and avoid fluctuations. A polyethylene or polyester envelope provides some protection against environmental changes. Store records completely upright to avoid warping (use a spacer or other filler in a partially filled box to keep records vertical). Keep records clean for both storage and play. Lastly, handle records by the edges; never touch the grooves with bare hands.

## Audio Tapes

Wind and store all audio tape “tails-out,” that is, with the tape of the program’s beginning at the core of the reel and the end at its outer edge. Store all audio tapes vertically inside archival boxes. Corrugated polypropylene boxes will provide some protection from water damage.

##### For more information:

- [Care, Handling and Storage of Audio Visual Materials](http://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/record.html) - Library of Congress
- [ARSC Guide to Audio Preservation](https://arsc-audio.org/guide-to-preservation) - Association for Recorded Sound Collections
- [Audio Preservation Resources](https://www.recordingpreservation.org/resources/) - National Recording Preservation Foundation
- [Guide to Vintage Audio Formats](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-plan/tools-and-resources/vintage-audio-formats-and-equiment-information/guide-to-vintage-audio-formats/)- Library of Congress
- [Audio Preservation Resources](https://cool.culturalheritage.org/bytopic/audio/) - Conservation OnLine (CoOL)

[View full post](https://info.gaylord.com/resources/preserving-analog-audio-collections)

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