Audio Frames – East Midlands Oral History Archive
The Audio Frames from Black Box AV fits our needs perfectly. We want to have something that can play a variety of sounds, which we can change for each venue… We will continue to use the audio frames in different venues, at heritage events, and with a variety of different playlists.
– Colin Hyde, East Midlands Oral History Archive
The East Midlands Oral History Archive (EMOHA) is based at the University of Leicester. As part of their audio preservation project ‘Sounds for the Future’, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, they wanted to find a way of promoting the EMOHA while utilising audio clips stored in their Archives, both for a series of talks and events as well as something more permanent. Colin Hyde goes on to explain;
“The audio frame from Black Box AV fits our needs perfectly. We want to have something that can play a variety of sounds, which we can change for each venue. It needs to be easy for the public to use and portable, but robust enough for use in libraries and museums.”
“We chose an audio frame with eight buttons, a bespoke design, and a hearing loop. We also created a pull-up banner to sit next to the audio frame and a laminated A4 playlist that tells people what each button plays. Each set of audio clips opens with a voice saying what the clips are about.”
“We bought two audio frames that are now on tour around libraries and museums in the region. Feedback has been good, and a couple of the venues have indicated they would like to have something similar. We will continue to use the audio frames in different venues, at heritage events, and with a variety of different playlists.”
Utilising a simple design for the Audio Frames panel artwork and employing an easily printed external track list means the EMOHA are able to quickly update the audio content as and when required, taking full advantage of the flexibility of the unit going forwards.
With one standard and one hearing loop enabled handset the unit is also very accessible to visitors.
