The MediaPreserve
The MediaPreserve is the audiovisual digitization division of Preservation Technologies, L.P., providing custom audio, video, and film digitization services to universities, libraries, archives, museums, sports teams, and documentary filmmakers via specialized laboratories with engineer-monitored workflows and patented deacidification technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersCranberry Township, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The MediaPreserve does
The MediaPreserve is the audiovisual digitization division of Preservation Technologies, L.P. (PTLP), a privately-held Pennsylvania limited partnership founded in 1992. The MediaPreserve was established circa 2006-2007 in response to demand from research libraries (including NYU, the Library of Congress, and members of the Committee for Institutional Cooperation) for professional reformatting of legacy audio, video, and film collections. The company operates three specialized laboratories — Audio, Video, and Film — housed at PTLP's Cranberry Township, PA headquarters alongside the world's largest deacidification plant. Its workflows are engineered for both high-volume multiple ingest (8+ video assets and 12+ audio assets simultaneously) and delicate one-off materials, with studios meeting NC15 acoustic and STC 60-65 isolation standards, and engineer-monitored quality control throughout.
The company's core technology is centered on the patented Bookkeeper deacidification process (licensed from Koppers Corporation, originally developed with UC Berkeley), which is the only method meeting Library of Congress, OSHA, FTC, and EPA requirements. For audiovisual work, the company applies standards from the Image Permanence Institute (IPI), Audio Engineering Society (AES), Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), and Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), producing up to three file types per asset (preservation master, intermediary, streaming). Supporting modules include Metadata Services (PBCore, METS, DublinCore), Streaming Services, On-demand expedited digitization, and dedicated logistics handling 550,000+ assets annually under fine arts coverage.
The MediaPreserve generates revenue primarily through professional services fees for custom-designed audiovisual digitization projects targeting universities, libraries, archives, museums, cultural institutions, government entities, sports teams, and documentary filmmakers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; projects are quoted by Preservation Program Specialists on a custom basis. Secondary revenue flows from sales of Bookkeeper consumer and institutional spray products through archival supply distributors (Archival Products, Brodart, Gaylord, etc.) and from hardware sales of Bookkeeper automated spray systems. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via dedicated offices in the US, Canada, Spain, and Netherlands, supplemented by grant-funded project partnerships with agencies such as the NEH, NEA, IMLS, and Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and received the President's E Award for Exports in 2017.
The MediaPreserve firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The MediaPreserve
- Legal name
- Preservation Technologies, L.P.
- Website
- https://themediapreserve.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The MediaPreserve is the audiovisual digitization division of Preservation Technologies, L.P., providing custom audio, video, and film digitization services to universities, libraries, archives, museums, sports teams, and documentary filmmakers via specialized laboratories with engineer-monitored workflows and patented deacidification technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The MediaPreserve industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audiovisual Digitization Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Magnetic & Optical Recording Media (3695)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Archive Restoration & Digitization (Film/Video/Audio Scanning, Remastering) (MPAHAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Archiving & Asset Management (MAM/DAM, Cataloging, QC) (MPADAMAG), Ingest, Indexing & Proxy/Mezzanine Generation (MPAHAGAH), Media Asset QC, Verification & Fixity (Checksums, Compliance) (MPAHAGAJ)
Keywords
Where The MediaPreserve is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cranberry Township
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
The MediaPreserve business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Audiovisual Digitization Services: Professional digitization services for audio, video, and film collections. The company transfers and digitizes materials for institutions, universities, and museums, creating preservation master files, intermediary files for presentation/editing, and streaming files for digital distribution.
- Deacidification Services (via parent company PTLP): The Bookkeeper deacidification process deposits alkaline buffer into paper to neutralize harmful acids. Over 550,000 assets are sent to Preservation Technologies global facilities each year for deacidification treatment.
- Bookkeeper Spray Products: Consumer and archival spray products for single-item deacidification treatment. Available in 150g non-aerosol refillable bottles and 900g refill bottles through distributors like Archival Products, Brodart, Gaylord, and University Products.
- Bookkeeper Spray Systems: Manual and automated spray systems for oversized documents and institutional use. The Bookkeeper III is an automated spray system with features including automated size selection, adjustable spray height, and built-in suction table.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The MediaPreserve product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The MediaPreserve is a division of Preservation Technologies, L.P. that provides professional audiovisual digitization services for institutions, universities, museums, archives, and cultural entities. The company operates three specialized laboratories (Audio, Video, and Film) that transfer legacy audio, video, and film formats into digital preservation files, creating preservation masters, intermediary files, and streaming files with automated metadata capture (PBCore, METS, DublinCore). The service includes custom preservation program design, secure logistics with fine arts insurance, and quality control with fixity checks.
Product overview
The MediaPreserve is a comprehensive audiovisual digitization platform offered by Preservation Technologies. The core offering consists of three specialized laboratories—Audio, Video, and Film—each providing digitization services for their respective media formats. These labs can handle everything from fragile legacy formats to high-volume cassette-based collections. The platform is augmented by supporting modules including Metadata Services (for PBCore, METS, DublinCore metadata capture), Streaming Services (for previewing assets before full digitization), On-demand Services (for deadline-driven projects), Logistics (for secure asset transport), and Sports Media Digitization (for sports organizations). The unified service creates preservation master files, intermediary presentation files, and streaming files for each digitized asset.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Audio Digitization Laboratory Services Audio digitization studio that transfers analog and digital audio formats including cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, and grooved discs, using multiple ingest systems for large collections. Serves institutions, universities, and museums with audio archival materials.
- Video Digitization Laboratory Services Video digitization studio configured for transferring analog video formats including VHS, U-matic, Betacam, and digital formats. Offers both multiple ingest systems and single-ingest studios for difficult formats, serving institutions with legacy video collections.
- Film Digitization Laboratory Services Film digitization studio handling various film gauges including Super 8mm, 8mm, 16mm, and 35mm, offering both standard definition and high definition scans with preservation master files, intermediary files, and streaming files.
- Sports Media Digitization Services Specialized digitization service for professional and college sports teams, sports museums, halls of fame, and broadcast networks, converting historical team audio, video, and film into digital formats for fan access via social media and team apps.
Quantifiable outcome
- Paper treated with Bookkeeper has life expectancy 3-5x longer than untreated documents
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The MediaPreserve
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The MediaPreserve technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The MediaPreserve partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Pittsburgh SymphonyflagshipPartnership to treat and digitize 300 reel-to-reel recordings made during Andre Previn's tenure as Music Director, 1976-1984. Recordings include concerts led by Andre Previn and 21 other conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas.
- National Endowment for the HumanitiesflagshipNEH provided partial funding for the Harry Ransom Center 'Unlocking Sound Stories' project to digitize and preserve more than 2,800 rare recordings. This flagship project demonstrates the company's ability to handle major institutional preservation initiatives.
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum CommissionflagshipProvided Historical Archives and Records Care Grant funding for Pittsburgh Symphony digitization project of 300 reel-to-reel recordings from Andre Previn's tenure. Project demonstrates grant-funded preservation work.
- Harry Ransom Center at UT AustinflagshipMajor partnership to digitize and preserve more than 2,800 rare recordings as part of the 'Unlocking Sound Stories' project. 2,100 recordings have been made available in the Ransom Center's Reading and Viewing Room with 750 Mel Gussow interviews available online.
- Pryor Center (University of Arkansas)flagshipPartnership to preserve Arkansas state history by restoring and digitizing KATV News film and video archival collection. Project includes approximately 300 hours of film from 1960s-1970s plus 26,000 videotapes. Supported by $1.5 million Tyson Foods donation.
- Library of CongresscoreLibrary of Congress partnered with PTLP to establish a deacidification facility specifically to treat manuscripts and records in the Madison Building. The Library approached Preservation Technologies after large corporations failed to meet their specifications, recognizing the quality of the Bookkeeper process originally developed with UC Berkeley.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The MediaPreserve competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Tessella (Capgemini Engineering): Consulting and engineering services firm (within Capgemini Engineering) with cultural heritage digital preservation practice. Competes for managed-services share rather than physical media digitization.
- Preservica: Digital preservation software platform used by cultural heritage institutions. Complementary rather than directly competitive, but enables clients to bring digitization and long-term preservation in-house.
Broad incumbents
- Iron Mountain: Global records management and storage incumbent with media services including Iron Mountain Media Vault and digitization offerings. Wider portfolio than The MediaPreserve but competes for large institutional digitization RFPs.
Direct peers
- Cineric Inc. New York-based film preservation and restoration laboratory offering 4K film scanning, photochemical workflow, and digital restoration for studios and cultural institutions — directly comparable film-focused digitization work.
- Colorlab: Maryland-based film, video, and audio transfer laboratory serving Hollywood studios, broadcasters, and archives. Comparable long-tail legacy-format digitization capabilities and motion-picture clientele.
- George Blood LP: Philadelphia-based audiovisual digitization laboratory specializing in audio, video, and film transfer for libraries, archives, and cultural institutions — the closest U.S. functional peer to The MediaPreserve in scope, customer base, and delivery model.
- FotoKem (Harbor Picture Company): Long-established film and broadcast post-production facility offering archival scanning, remastering, and dailies/archive services. Overlaps The MediaPreserve on the film digitization and remastering side and serves institutional archives.
- Memnon Archiving Services (Sony): Specialist AV digitization services firm (now part of Sony) focused on digitizing legacy audio and video for broadcasters, record labels, and cultural institutions — direct head-to-head competitor in large-format AV digitization projects.
Emerging players
- Arkivum: UK-based digital preservation services provider combining archival storage with managed digitization workflows for libraries and research institutions — adjacent competitor for institutional preservation outsourcing.
Regional players
- Bayer Audiovisuell (BAV): German audiovisual digitization laboratory serving European libraries, broadcasters, and cultural institutions. Closest European-headquartered peer for AV mass-digitization services to memory institutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The MediaPreserve social profiles
Digital presenceThe MediaPreserve compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The MediaPreserve financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The MediaPreserve leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The MediaPreserve funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The MediaPreserve M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The MediaPreserve
What does The MediaPreserve do?
The MediaPreserve is a division of Preservation Technologies, L.P. that provides professional audiovisual digitization services for institutions, universities, museums, archives, and cultural entities. The company operates three specialized laboratories (Audio, Video, and Film) that transfer legacy audio, video, and film formats into digital preservation files, creating preservation masters, intermediary files, and streaming files with automated metadata capture (PBCore, METS, DublinCore). The service includes custom preservation program design, secure logistics with fine arts insurance, and quality control with fixity checks.
Is The MediaPreserve a public or private company?
The MediaPreserve is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The MediaPreserve founded?
The MediaPreserve was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The MediaPreserve based?
The MediaPreserve is headquartered in Cranberry Township, United States, in the North America region.
How does The MediaPreserve make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Audiovisual Digitization Services are the primary driver. The others are deacidification Services (via parent company PTLP), bookkeeper Spray Products and bookkeeper Spray Systems.
Who are The MediaPreserve's main competitors?
Others on record are Tessella (Capgemini Engineering) and Preservica. Iron Mountain is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Cineric Inc., Colorlab, George Blood LP, FotoKem (Harbor Picture Company) and Memnon Archiving Services (Sony). Arkivum is listed as an emerging player. Bayer Audiovisuell (BAV) is listed as a regional player.
Does The MediaPreserve have an API?
No public API is recorded for The MediaPreserve.
What industry is The MediaPreserve in?
The MediaPreserve's product category is Audiovisual Digitization Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHAGAI, Archive Restoration & Digitization (Film/Video/Audio Scanning, Remastering), with a secondary code of MPADAMAG, Digital Archiving & Asset Management (MAM/DAM, Cataloging, QC). Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7812.