The Phonogrammarchiv -
The Austrian Audiovisual Research Archive

Member of the Centre for Linguistics and Audiovisual Documentation (LAVD)

The Phonogrammarchiv, an institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, is the oldest sound archive in the world.
Since September 2001 the activities of the Phonogrammarchiv also include the archiving and preservation of videographic research documents.

Activities:

Preserving, producing, collecting, accessioning and processing as well as making available research sound and video recordings by predominantly Austrian scholars and institutions, without disciplinary or regional restrictions.
The Phonogrammarchiv also supports scientific field research by technical and methodological advice and the loan of adequate recording equipment.

Research Sound and Video Recordings:

Acoustic and videographic sources produced for research purposes under controlled and documented conditions. Products of the record and movie/video industry do not fall within the scope of the Phonogrammarchiv. In Austria such commercial items are systematically collected by the Österreichische Mediathek [http://www.mediathek.ac.at/].

The archive's collection can be accessed for research purposes and in accordance with the legal agreements made with the particular deponents. Information sources:

  • published catalogues of recordings [recordings Ph 1-2000, B 1-13000]
  • electronic catalogue for browsing [recordings from B 13001 onwards]
  • database [recordings from 1990 onwards]
  • handwritten/typed documentation of all recordings: recording data, description of contents, etc.

Library:

The reference library comprises ca. 3000 books, journals and offprints, retrievable via an electronic catalogue. Additionally, all articles from anthologies are referenced. The library can be accessed during the opening hours of the Phonogrammarchiv.

Technical Facilities:

  • four audio studios
  • two video studios
  • recording studio
  • re-recording laboratory
  • signal-processing workstation
  • listening-stations for users
  • maintenance site
  • duplication sites
  • field equipment