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Assessment of Significance or Value

Value assessment will depend upon a variety of factors. Each institution will need to assess the 'value' or significance of the acetate materials in their collections according to their own criteria. Assessment of significance will assist institutions in prioritising material for preservation action.

Intrinsic and Informational value

Value can be either:

  • informational, where the subject matter is more important than the object, or
  • intrinsic, where it is the item itself that is important.

(Puglia, 1995)

For example, material with intrinsic value may include films such as those which have:

  • been developed by the photographer / artist
  • been developed in a unique or special manner
  • some other particular significance or quality in their original form.

If an acetate film is regarded as being of informational value only, the institution owning the item may choose not to retain the original item following copying. However, stringent quality control programs must be put in place to ensure that copies conform to preservation standards.


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