Overview

The National Recording Preservation Board, mandated by the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, is an advisory group bringing together a number of professional organizations and expert individuals concerned with the preservation of recorded sound. The Board is one of three components established by the legislation to form a comprehensive national program to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America's sound recording heritage. The other two components of the program are the National Recording Registry and a fund-raising Foundation.

The Board is appointed by the Librarian of Congress and consists of one member and one alternate from each of seventeen organizations representing composers, musicians, musicologists, librarians, archivists, and the recording industry, as named in the law. In addition, the Librarian of Congress may appoint up to five "at-large" members.

National Recording Board Objectives

The National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 charges its Board to:

• Formulate Selection Criteria for the Recording Registry and to assist the Librarian in the review and recommendation of nominations for the Registry
  
  
• Develop a comprehensive National Recording Preservation Study and Action Plan. A comparable preservation study and action plan was produced in 1993 by the National Film Preservation Board. The study will address issues such as the current state of sound recording archiving, preservation, and restoration activities; research and other activities carried out by or on behalf of the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center at Culpeper, Virginia; the establishment of clear standards for copying old sound recordings; current laws and restrictions regarding the preservation and use of sound recordings, including recommendations for changes to allow digital access and preservation.

Members of the National Recording Preservation Board

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Member: Marilyn Bergman, Chair
Alternate: Charles Bernstein

American Federation of Musicians
Member: Steven A. Gibson
Alternate: To be appointed

American Folklore Society
Member: Burt Feintuch
Alternate: Timothy Lloyd

American Musicological Society
Member: José Antonio Bowen
Alternate: Deane L. Root

Association for Recorded Sound Collections
Member: Bill Klinger
Alternate: David Hamilton

Audio Engineering Society
Member: George Massenburg
Alternate: Elizabeth Cohen

Broadcast Music, Incorporated
Member: Del Bryant
Alternate: Robbin Ahrold

Country Music Foundation
Member: Kyle Young
Alternate: Alan Stoker

Digital Media Association
Member: Jon Kertzer
Alternate: Jonathan Potter

Music Library Association
Member: James Farrington
Alternate: Barbara Sawka

National Archives and Records Administration
Member: Leslie Waffen
Alternate: James Martin

National Academy of Popular Music
Member: Irv Lichtman
Alternate: Ervin Drake

National Association of Recording Merchandisers
Member: Rachelle Friedman
Alternate: To be appointed

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
Member: Neil Portnow
Alternate: Kristen Madsen

Recording Industry Association of America
Member: Mitch Bainwol

SESAC
Member: Patrick Collins
Alternate: Dennis Lord

Society For Ethnomusicology
Member: Suzanne Flandreau
Alternate: To be appointed

At-Large
Member: Michael Feinstein
Alternate: Carlos Garza

At-Large
Member: Mickey Hart
Alternate: Christopher Sterling

At-Large
Member: Bill Ivey
Alternate: John Simson

At-Large
Member: Phil Ramone
Alternate: Jay Carr

At-Large
Member: Eric Schwartz
Alternate: To be appointed