Journal of Film Preservation N° 60/61 - FIAF

on those used during the Soviet occupation, using shortlists for films
(like in Latvia) and/or using formal elements only like title, author
and year of production. Fortunately things have developed quite fast
over the past few years. While national archive structures still operate
with separate and distinct cataloguing or inventorising systems,
working groups are in place to co-ordinate these systems with
particular reference to the specific needs of audio-visual documents.
At the same time institutions like the Lithuanian National Library
and news agency operate modern cataloguing systems, and there is
in all countries a growing co-operation between the various
institutions that hold audio-visual collections.
The national archive systems generally follow a policy of openness to
the public, and visitors of audio-visual archives are readily admitted,
sometimes upon simple appointment, sometimes with a permit of
the responsible authority. This also goes for some of the national
libraries, as they hold legally deposited materials. While there are on
the whole adequate facilities to consult the photograph collections
and the (as yet modest) videocassettes, it is somewhat less easy to
peruse the sound holdings and indeed it is quite difficult to get into
the film collection for viewing. Though in some cases selected films
have been copied on videotape for consultation, in most cases the
archive has to project the original film for viewing. This is of course
related to the preservation problem. In broadcasting libraries the
customer will virtually always have access to the original recordings
only. This is due to a shortage of new cassettes for professional
duplication. In some cases, like in Latvian TV and Lithuanian Radio,
the service sells video and/or audiocassettes of selected programmes
for home use. The Latvian archive has recently published Saglabt
Sudrab (Memories in Silver), a filmography of Latvian films 1940-
1945 and part one of a planned series. In Lithuania the archive has
contributed substantially to an excellent and excellently illustrated
history of Lithuania under the title Lietuva. Praeitis, kultura, dabartis
(Vilnius, Baltos Lankos, 1999; to be published also in English).
One other issue that the archives are currently addressing is the rates
customers have to pay for obtaining copies of audio-visual materials.
Current rates lists have survived from pre-Independence days and
show a remarkable complexity while at the same time mixing license
fees (to be paid to the copyright holder for re-use of fragments of
recordings) and technical fees (paid for the copied film, cassette or
print and for services).
Summary
Quite obviously it is not possible to provide within the limitations of
the present article detailed information regarding the whole range of
audio-visual archiving policies and practice in each of the Baltic
countries. It is hoped though that the outline that could be given
here may focus the readers’ attention on the important audio-visual
heritage of three countries that are not yet getting the attention they
so fully merit. Though managing and safeguarding this heritage is
15 Journal of Film Preservation / 60/61 / 2000