Q

Why this Yale librarian insists VHS tapes are worth saving

Find out why librarian David Gary sees academic merits in slowly degrading B movies.
One man's junk is another's preservation project. (Anthony Easton/Flickr CC)

Do slowly degrading B movies have academic value? Yale University librarian David Gary thinks so. 

Gary joins Shad to explain how he ended up with thousands of horror and exploitation films on VHS tape, including Bloodeaters (1980) and Slumber Party Massacre (1982). From the box art to the tactile experience, the librarian argues there's plenty to preserve for younger generations. 

He details the joys and challenges of rewinding back to our cinematic past.

q: Do you have a beloved VHS movie you've saved from the recycling bin? Send us a picture of yourself with the one tape you'd never throw out. Email q@cbc.ca or tweet us @cbcradioq

q listeners Steve Colucci, Sarah Odell, Gabe and C.H. Newell sent us photo evidence of the VHS tape they will never throw out. Let's see yours.