Download - Annie Wu Susannah Benedetti University of North Carolina-Wilmington OLAC Biennial Conference
Relocating and Reclassifying Our Feature Film Video Collection:
From Closed Stacks to Blockbuster Video
Annie Wu
Susannah Benedetti
University of North Carolina-Wilmington
OLAC Biennial Conference
September 28, 2002
Contact Information
Annie Wu
Cataloging Supervisor
Randall Library
UNC-Wilmington
601 S. College Rd.
Wilmington, NC 28403
910/962-4252
910/962-3078
Susannah Benedetti
Special Formats Cataloger
Randall Library
UNC-Wilmington
601 S. College Rd.
Wilmington, NC 28403
910/962-4243
910/962-3078
Abstract
In 2001 William Madison Randall Library established a recreational feature film video
collection, corresponding to the launch of the university’s Film Studies program.
The library's 2800+ feature film videos were moved from closed stacks to open shelves
and reclassified into browsable genre categories in a short time period.
See how we used genre headings to escape the PN1997 dead-end!
Our Old Home
Behind This Desk
Our New Home, Yeah!
A Closer Look
A Even Closer Look
Why Establish a Recreational Video Collection?
University IssuesNew Film Studies program on campus
Greater emphasis on feature films in curriculum
Library IssuesOngoing patron requests
Growing collection
No room for physical expansion
New security strips
Why Establish a Recreational Video Collection?
Cataloging IssuesOpportunity to address historical call number inconsistencies
Opportunity to escape the cumbersome PN1997 situation
Opportunity for collection cleanup & topical heading enhancement
Feature Film Classification, 1980s-2001
PN1997, cuttered by title Chinatown PN1997.C446 1990
Motion Picture Genres Dracula PN1995.9.V3 D722 1999
Literary Works Moby Dick PS2384.M629 1996
LC Topics Born on the
Fourth of July DS557.73.B676 1990
Issues & Decisions
To Reclassify or Simply Relocate?
“As is” relocation to open shelves would be fast & easy
Reclassification could be overwhelming
Limited time period before fall semester
Issues & Decisions
Why did We Decide to Reclassify?Potential of PN1995.9.A-Z for genres
Consistency would improve catalog quality and improve searching
Expertise of film specialist cataloger for genre choices
Innovative (III) functions would aid efficiency & organization
PN1995.9.A-Z Decisions
Which genres to utilize? How many? How to choose?
Consulted wide range of optionsWithin Technical ServicesWith all of our librariansOn Autocat listLocal video stores’ organization
New Classification Guidelines For Domestic Feature Films: Features films: PN1995.9.xx (cutter by genre) xx (cutter by title)
Approved genre cutters: Action/Adventure films .A3 Horror films .H6 Children’s films .C44 Musical films .M86
Comedy films .C55 Science Fiction/Fantasy films .S26 Detective/Mystery/Crime films .D4 War films .W3Drama .D7 Western films .W4
Silent films: PN1995.75.xx (cutter by title)
For Foreign Feature Films: Feature Films: PN1997.xx (cutter by original language) xx (cutter by title)
See:
http://coast.lib.uncwil.edu/techserv/film_subject_access.htm
Benefits of the Project
Better-organized collection
Straightened up errors for this collection
Allows better retrieval of records of the collection in OPAC
More intuitive browsing
Huge increase in collection circulation
Circulation Statistics for Feature Film
Collection 2000-2002
Year Checkout % of increase
09/2000-08/2001 1173
09/2001-08/2002 16593 1315 %
Chart for Circulation Activity One Year before and after the Relocation of This collection
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10000
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18000
09/00-08/01 09/01-09/02
Checkout