Black Film Center/Archive

Collection: Media & Print Material
Special Collection Library: Black Film Center/Archive
Collection Development Manager: Paul Heyde
Prepared by: Monique L. Threatt
Last Updated: May 22, 2000

ACRL Guidelines for Media Resources in Academic Libraries

1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES AND SUBJECT BOUNDARIES:

The Black Film Center/Archive (BFC/A), under the auspices of the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, is a repository of films and related materials by and about African Americans. Included are films which have substantial participation by African Americans as writers, actors, producers, directors, musicians, and consultants, as well as those which depict some aspect of the black experience.

The purpose of the BFC/A is to support the instructional and research needs of Indiana University faculty, students, researchers, and the general public in an academic environment as well as, on-site visitors. The media collection includes materials in seven audiovisual formats: audiocassettes, 3/4" (U-matic) videocassettes, 1/2" VHS videocassettes, 8mm, 16mm and 35mm film prints, and laser videodisc. However, only three of these formats are currently being purchased: 1/2" VHS videocassettes, 3/4" (U-Matic) and 16mm film prints. The archive is no longer purchasing pre-recorded audiocassettes, 8mm or 35mm film prints. Purchase of 16mm film prints, 3/4" (U-Matic) videocassette and laser videodisc differ in the demand for these formats, their characteristics, and often their cost. Therefore, collection development decisions must frequently consider these media separately.

Media includes, but is not limited to, collections of spoken word audiocassettes, both educational videorecordings and feature films by independent African American filmmakers, and a donation of various 16mm film prints by major motion picture studios such as MGM/United Artists, Paramount and Warner Brothers. Popular feature films, such as one might expect to find in a video rental store, are purchased upon the request of an instructor to support classroom instruction or by the director for archival preservation and research. Instructional materials, defined as meeting the narrow objectives of one particular course, are excluded. These materials are often an integral part of classroom instruction, analogous to laboratory materials, and should be purchased by the department. The audiocassette collection excludes music.

The Media collection supports most academic programs within the university, they include various subject classifications. However, the collections are not evenly divided among subject areas. Some subject areas are more frequently represented in the production of video and audio materials and more suitable for video or audio presentation.

2. SCOPE OF COVERAGE:

Languages: Video and Film Print: English and any other language with English subtitles. The purchase of foreign language productions without subtitles shall be avoided but not excluded and housed with the video collection. Audio: English language materials predominate, but no language is excluded. Chronology: Priority is given to documentary programs produced within the past ten years. Older programs will be purchased only when they are classic titles or when it has been determined that no more recent production offers the save level of coverage--in terms of content or quality. There are no chronological guidelines for the purchase of feature films. Geography: Video and Film Print. Although the collection includes materials produced throughout the world, most must be obtained through United States distributors due to compatibility problems. Programs must be in the NTSC standard; however, the BFC/A can and does support programs in PAL and SECAM standard provided the existing viewing equipment is in excellent working condition. Audio: Materials from any country can be purchased, but materials produced in the United States predominate, due to availability.

3. FORMATS COLLECTED:

Inclusions: Videocassettes in the 1/2" VHS format (NTSC/PAL/SECAM); 3/4" (U-Matic) videocassettes; 8mm, 35mm, and 16mm film prints, laserdisc, DVDs, audiocassettes. Exclusions: All other audiovisual formats.

4. RELATED COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICIES:

Videorecordings purchased on the BFC/A's general operating expense and foundation accounts are housed in the BFC/A facility, along with other videorecordings.

Videorecordings donated to the BFC/A are housed in the BFC/A, along with other videorecordings.

8mm, 35mm and 16mm film prints purchased on the BFC/A's general operating expense and foundation accounts are housed at Instructional Support Services at Franklin Hall.

8mm, 35mm and 16mm film prints donated to the BFC/A are housed in Instructional Support Services at Franklin Hall with the exception of large collections donated by independent filmmakers that must be housed together, are located at Classic Lanes, under the auspice of Instructional Support Services.

The Education Library, Journalism Library, School of Library and Information Science Library, and Music Library collect audiovisual materials. However, the videorecordings in Journalism Library are reserved for use by the Journalism faculty. The BFC/A will refer patrons to the Journalism media center, when necessary, for use from faculty and students in other disciplines. The Halls of Residence Libraries collection houses music audiocassettes and videocassettes, primarily for recreational purposes; however, the videocassettes collections include some foreign and classic feature films.

5. OTHER RESOURCES:

The video library of the Main Library located in the Undergraduate Section houses a large collection of audiocassettes, 3/4" (U-Matic) videocassettes, 1/2" VHS videocassettes and laser videodiscs. Videos and laserdiscs are accessible to both students and faculty. The main library partakes in interlibrary loan.

The Film/Video Library of the Center for Media and Teaching Resources (Instructional Support Services) at Franklin Hall houses a large collection of 16mm films and VHS videocassettes on a wide variety of subjects. Although they no longer purchase 16mm films (unless a title is unavailable on video), the majority of the collection is 16mm film. Films and videos are accessible to both students, faculty and researchers.

The Archive of African American Music and Culture houses a small collection of 1/2" VHS videocassettes related to early and contemporary African American music as well as a collection of music audiocassette.

The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction has a collection of erotic/pornographic films that constitutes a unique resource for research. However, access is restricted.

6. OVERALL SELECTION CRITERIA:

With the direct approval from the Director of BFC/A, the BFC/A Media fund manager selects video and audio for purchase from a number of sources: reviews, previews (television broadcasts, film festivals, film markets), catalogs and faculty or fund manager request. The fund manager will purchase any faculty or fund manager request that falls within the collection development policy and for which adequate funds exist. If the fund manager does not purchase the title on the BFC/A's general operating or foundation account, s/he will explore rental sources and other library fund managers who may be willing to purchase the title. Once an item has been determined to fall within the collection parameters, it is evaluated according to the following specific criteria:

• Accuracy/authoritativeness
• Timeliness of information
• Level of treatment (analytical vs. descriptive)
• Technical quality
• Aesthetic appeal
• Relative cost

The Media fund manager makes every effort to assure acquisition of the best audio and video materials available. S/he relies on critical reviews for most selections. However, the fund manager may request a preview copy from the distributor when: 1) the title has not been reviewed; or 2) the evaluations of two or more reviewers conflict. The fund manager regularly consults the following review sources: The New York Times, The Video Rating Guide for Libraries, the LaserDisc Newsletter, Video Magazine, The Video Librarian and AudioFile.

All final purchases are subject to approval by the Director or Acting Director of BFC/A, who reserve the right to purchase and return to a distributor materials that do not meet expectations with regard to content or quality.

7. SPECIFIC SELECTION CRITERIA:

FEATURE FILMS: Feature films are purchased on 16mm film print, 3/4" (U-Matic), 1/2" VHS and laserdisc. At this time, VHS is the preferred format because most faculty lack access to laserdisc players and most classrooms are not equipped with laserdisc playback equipment. However, laserdiscs are less expensive and offer superior video and audio quality and may become the preferred format as access to equipment improves.

The feature film collection supports courses in Film Studies as well as a variety of other disciplines. Therefore, the collection includes the works of recognized directors and significant individual titles from the perspective of film scholarship. However, it also includes films that may never be recognized for their excellence but they contribute to teaching in other disciplines, such as history, sociology, anthropology, and English. Many foreign films in the collection are used by courses with interdisciplinary subjects. The feature film collection reflects these various uses.

Selection of titles is made on the basis of reviews, faculty and director recommendations. As the collection reflects the research interests of the faculty as well as their instructional needs, some filmmakers and some genres are collected more comprehensively than others. The fund manager gives priority to films being taught in classes; faculty are encouraged to submit their course syllabi to ensure that films being taught are available in the library's collection.

Popular, current release videorecordings of feature films are purchased only upon the recommendation of the director and faculty, with the assurance that they will be used for research.

The BFC/A will consider the use and purchase of the DVD format when the format and equipment are fully supported in the classroom.