A Generous Offer

[mikehopf]

I am looking to dispose of my large collection of around 2,500 cassettes and 250 reel-to-reel tapes. Content is principally unsung composers/compositions  ( c. 1780 - 1930 ) with many commercially unrecorded gems. All cassettes are in smart cases each holding c. 40 cassettes and the tapes are in marked boxes. I am offering this collection free to anyone willing to pay the mailing costs from Australia.
Please contact me if you are interested or have any suggestions as to how I can dispose of this treasure trove short of the waste dump.

[Richard Moss]

'Mike'(?),

Whilst I'm personally not in a position to acquire or handle these, I wonder if there are full/hero members of UC, or someone suitable they in turn know, who could act as custodians of what appears to be a valuable collection if say the rest of us treated it as a 'kickstarter' project to get the funding for 'postage'.  Obviously, we would need some idea on costs but it's a first thought on keeping them safe/saved, and from there in due course hopefully some 'unique' uploads might arise.

Best wishes

Richard

[jerfilm]

I'd certainly help with postage.   At 78, I don't have the time or the energy to undertake digitizing whatever is not in my collection.  Or things that others might want.   

Jerry

[Border Collie]

Kind of assuming that the offer has expired and that Aussie landfill has won?

[mikehopf]

Australian landfill now charge exorbitant fees for dumping... so the offer stands. Any interest?

[rosflute]

May I suggest that you contact the British Library Sound Archives, or similar in Australia. Additionally the BBC might be interested, if you have anything recorded by them originally.

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

I shall probably regret asking this, but what would postage be to the US, do you have any idea?

[mikehopf]

Probably depends on which part of the States you live in.

I got a recent quote for a guy in Winnipeg, Canada, of A$ 1,255 ( sea freight). For air freight you are probably looking at 3 times this figure.

You probably regret asking  now.......

For the interest of any other potential takers, total weight is c. 280 kg and volume 0.95 m3.

BTW, I live in Melbourne.

[semloh]

Mike, I sympathize with your situation. Radio Stations and libraries used to be interested, but not any more. I'm afraid they're just redundant media.

I decided to keep my cassettes and reels rather than put them on the tip.... I've digitized most of the former, but the reels still await my attention - by which time they probably won't be playable, given the Townsville climate.

Anyway, I hope you find a home for at least some of your collection...

[Border Collie]

I am in discussion with Mike regarding the possibility of bringing these over to the UK. Then I had in mind, if possible, over time importing them into MP3 files and making them available on the net.

Unfortunately my work/life balance has taken a dramatic shift towards work recently, which isn't helping.

But this would be, whilst by no means impossible, unquestionable a large and expensive project. So whilst I am waiting for a bit more time to consider this, I thought I would throw out a line to see if anyone had any advice, suggestions or a desire to get involved in one way or another?

Mike has kindly got me a quote for sea or airfreighting them. Air is expensive but I know what I am doing in that respect. Sea freight is cheaper but I have no experience.

Anyone? By the way for information I live in SE England, about 10 miles from Gatwick Airport.

[mikehopf]

R.I.P. My huge tape and cassette collection. Gone but not forgotten. Future postings will begin with the words: " I once had a recording of...".

[Christopher]

What was the upshot?

[mikehopf]

Aussie landfill won!

[Christopher]

I'm very sorry to hear it Mike but I do understand.  If I had the means I would have been most tempted to make an offer.  At some point I will want to get rid of my 1300 CDs (once I have transferred them all...), many are rare (many more aren't!), but they just take up so much space.  I will offer them to libraries and music schools etc but fear that landfill beckons also...

[Jonathan]

Christopher, I've just in the last few months downsized my CD collection so that instead of taking up loads of space on shelving, 80% of it fits neatly into a small cupboard, about 2 x 3ft - I too have roughly 1300 CDs and now I have space for even more!  I don't want to advertise the manufacturer of the storage system I used here but if you pm me, I will send you the details.  It wasn't cheap but it made a huge difference.

Actually, if anyone else is interested, please ask!