History’s First Draft: Preserving and Providing Access to the NPR Archives

FAIN: PB-275171-20

NPR (Washington, DC 20001-3740)
Laura Soto-Barra (Project Director: May 2020 to November 2021)

The retention of key personnel in the National Public Radio Research Archives and Data Strategy (NPR RAD) team to preserve, research, and describe NPR content produced in response to the pandemic, as well as contribute to the ongoing digital preservation of reformatted open reel tapes of NPR programming produced between 1971 and 1992.

As the world grapples with the all-encompassing coronavirus pandemic and its fallout, access to NPR’s quality, fact-based journalism is more important than ever. The NPR Research, Archives & Data Strategy team (NPR RAD) brings accuracy, deep research and investigation to NPR content, and supports the archiving and description of NPR storytelling. This proposal will support key personnel roles within the NPR RAD team in order to continue and expand their vital preservation and access work, and ensure that this unique historical record is safely preserved for future generations.