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

wua@uncw.edu

Susannah Benedetti

Special Formats Cataloger

Randall Library

UNC-Wilmington

601 S. College Rd.

Wilmington, NC 28403

910/962-4243

910/962-3078

benedettis@uncw.edu

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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09/00-08/01 09/01-09/02

Checkout