A visit to San Francisco State's Poetry Center (1979)

KRON-TV news footage from April 26, 1979 with reporter Rob Robin featuring  a poetry event at San Francisco State University's Poetry Center. Includes scenes of New York poets Ted Berrigan and Harris Schiff reading poetry to an audience, an interview with Berrigan and Poetry Center Director Tom Mandell and views of videotape technology being used by staff - including technical director Gordon Craig - to preserve this cultural legacy. Robin explains that: "The University is a Mecca for poets ... Since the first poet read his work here in 1954 the readings have been recorded. For the past 5 years they have been videotaped. There's around 1400 audio tapes, about 250 videotapes, considered the best collection in the country." Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

Thanks to the Poetry Center for positively identifying Tom Mandell and Gordon Craig in this report, which will be celebrating its 70th anniversary next year.

This 16mm reversal film print was scanned in 4K (4096 x 2970) using a Lasergraphics ScanStation film scanner, in June 2023.