IT and Archives: One third of State Sound Recording Archives funds digitized in Azerbaijan

One third (35%) of funds of the State Sound Recording Archives have been digitized in Azerbaijan. Information Technologies Institute of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) informed that the initial stage sound recordings of 1902-1940 were digitized. About   60,000 sound and more than 4,000 video recordings, which are digitized in stages, are stored in the archive.

Presently, work is carried out in the archive for introduction of modern information and communication technologies for full digitization of its funds. Work is also carried out for restoration of old sound recordings, in particular, records of Azerbaijani masters of classical mugham of period of 1900-1914 are rerecorded in various sound recording studios of the world.

The archive cooperates with Royal Library of Great Britain, which received about 50 digital sound recordings of Azerbaijani ashug dastans. It is also planned in the future to grant samples of mugham and folklore of Azerbaijan in the Library of Congress.

The State Sound Recording Archives of Azerbaijan was established in 1968. Documentary and art sound-video materials, reflecting socio-political, historical, scientific and cultural life of the country, are stored in the archive.