BATA’s collection of unique news footage dates from the early 1950s through the present and reflects Bay Area history, politics, culture, and social change movements. BATA seeks to expand access by digitizing the collection and enhancing its descriptive metadata, allowing for increased visibility and potential partnerships (including revenue-generating collaborations). Currently, only about 5% of the collection’s more than 4,000 hours of footage has been digitized.
Digitization will expedite the delivery of BATA’s historic footage for students, faculty, independent researchers, local news stations, and documentary filmmakers and will help ensure its preservation. Considering much of the material in the archive was never actually broadcast, this collection has distinctively rare value for teaching and scholarship as a primary source.
The fundraising goal for BATA is $1,000,000.
BATA's Belva Davis Collection is a video archive of news and special interest reports produced for local TV stations by pioneering Bay Area TV journalist Belva Davis, between 1976 and 2004. Ms. Davis attended San Francisco State University as a student.
The Black Panther Party Collection contains local news, films, and privately produced footage relating mainly - but not exclusively - to the Black Panther Party's Oakland chapter, from the 1960s and 70s.
J. Paul Leonard Library Funding Initiatives
Enhanced Library Technology & Resources Initiative
The Initiative ensures the library's position at the forefront of technological developments and applications.
