WNYC Preservation and Archive Unit

A Rich Broadcasting Legacy

Established in the year 2000, the WNYC Archives are the station's physical link to its rich and storied past. Managed by Andy Lanset, an archivist and audio preservation specialist, the department provides a central repository for thousands of audio recordings, photographs, memorabilia, reports, news items, program guides, institutional records, and promotional materials. Among its holdings are more than 50,000 recordings in a variety of formats, from early lacquer and acetate discs, to reel-to-reel tapes, to digital audio tapes and compact discs.

The department was a long time in the making for WNYC. Prior to its founding, no central repository for archival station material existed, and as a result, items were spread throughout different departments within the station. The Archives allowed the station to consolidate these items into storage areas on the 25th, 27th and 33rd floors of its offices in the Municipal Building. An additional 5,000 items are in a climate-controlled storage facility in New Jersey with more on the way as the digitization of the collection proceeds.

Still, much remains to be accomplished. Thousands of programs have been identified but only a fraction of these have been fully cataloged. "Basically we've been doing what I call triage cataloging," says the indefatigable Lanset. "Basic information is catalogued so we know what we have and where it is, but much detail work remains."

And new items continue to turn up. For example, the department recently acquired a collection of several thousand old sound effects and production music records. The department also brings in WNYC material from other outside collections, such as the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Smithsonian, the University of Maryland, as well as from former producers.

Despite its modest staffing and physical resources (Andy is joined by assistant archivists Cara McCormick and Kabir Carter), the WNYC Archives have helped document numerous aspects of WNYC's history while keeping it all in a secure place. "Dealing with storing all this stuff is also something I spend a lot of time with," says Lanset. "We're trying to get a lot of material cataloged and stowed off-site because we're running out of space here. And then there's the temperature and humidity issues that go along with proper storage. In all, it's a lot of work, and very rewarding."

Do you have any WNYC-related items? We are still searching for programs, recordings (disc or tape), photos, programs guides, and promotional material. Unfortunately, the Archives are now closed to the public as we inventory, pack and plan for our move to 160 Varick Street next February. You can reach us by phone at: 212-669-4685 or by e-mail at alanset@wnyc.org.

Among the biggest responsibilities of the department is maintaining this vast library of audio recordings. Here's a snapshot of how it all works, WNYC Preservation and Archive Process.