UCLA Film & Television Archive Cataloging Procedure Manual--Voyager

UCLA FILM & TELEVISION ARCHIVE

CATALOGING PROCEDURE MANUAL--VOYAGER

SECTION 34
HOW TO FILL OUT AN INVENTORY FORM


34.1, FILMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION


34.1.1, Titles

34.1.1.1, Title on item/Newsreel or television series title: Copy the title on the item exactly as is, unless you know it to be incorrect. Titles for newsreel footage, including cut newsreels (i.e. restored issues of released newsreels) without head and tail logos, Hearst Vault Materials, and Hearst Cuts and Outs, are included here as well. If you are not sure that the title is on the item, or you know it is not on the item, bracket the title, and indicate the source of the title in the COMMENTS area. Usually the title is copied from the following source:

For radio, television, motion picture serials and cut newsreel material (i.e. complete issues), the series title goes on this line.

EXAMPLE:

Certain motion picture and television series go in the COMMENTS area, e.g. Speaking of animals, Looney tunes, and Masterpiece theatre. The best way to tell which titles are of this kind is to check the title on ORION for other items in the series.

34.1.1.2, Episode no. or title/Volume and issue number: For radio, television, and motion picture serials place the episode title and/or number here. For newsreels, place the volume and issue number here.

EXAMPLE:

In the case of newsreel cuts and outs, when the title, volume number, and issue number from which the cuts and outs were excerpted are known, place the volume number, issue number, and further identification of the Cuts and Outs here, in the following format.

EXAMPLE:

For guidelines on formatting other types of footage in the Hearst collection, see SECTION 34.8, ABBREVIATED HEARST NEWSREEL TITLES AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS IN CATALOGING.

34.1.1.3, Original release/broadcast title or filing title: If the title by which a film has become known in the U.S., or the original release or broadcast title in the United States is different from the title on the item, add this to the top line of the record, so that the record will file by the title by which it has become known or by the original release or broadcast title in the U.S.

34.1.2, Release/broadcast date:

If a release date or broadcast date is on the item, copy it here. These will be found more commonly on radio or television than on film. Give the release date of the item, not the original release date, if there is a difference. For example, if you are inventorying a re-broadcast, give the re-broadcast date here. If you have the original broadcast date, give it below under 'Comments:'. Films are commonly dated by year only. If a film is viewed, and a copyright date is present on the film, include it here. If date cannot be determined, you may estimate a date or a date range or leave it blank. For released newsreels, use the release date (year, month, and day if all are available), not the date shot, date filed, or date of event. For unreleased newsreels and other unreleased materials, use the date shot; if it is unknown, estimate it where possible.

EXAMPLES:


34.1.3, Version:

If the item is known to be a short version, a director's cut, an airline version, etc., include that information here.

34.1.4, Country of origin:

If the film or television program was produced by a production company located in another country besides the U.S., write the name of the country here.

34.1.5, Language:

Include any information you have about the language of the item if it is other than other than the commonly spoken language of the country listed under Country of origin, e.g. in French with English subtitles; dubbed in English; etc. Basically, put in anything you know about language(s) used in the item in conjunction with English.

34.1.6, Form:

Check off the appropriate form heading or form headings:

34.2, INVENTORY #:

Affix the neon green inventory number label (e.g., M20960) here, or, if one isn't available, write the inventory number in the box. Please note that the Cataloging Department files the inventory records awaiting input by this number.

For those materials that are still being given UNIQUE IDENTIFYING (INVENTORY) numbers using the MY numbering system (e.g., materials in ARSC), place the MY number here. See below for instructions on constructing and formatting these numbers. If an item originally inventoried with an M or T number is reinventoried under the MY system, place the old inventory number in the 'Comments:' area at the bottom of the form. If an item originally inventoried under the MY system is reinventoried with an M or T number, place that inventory number here, and note the former MY number in the 'Comments:' area at the bottom of the form.

EXAMPLE:


34.3, LINK TO VOYAGER RECORD NUMBER:

If you know that the item inventoried is a copy of something already in Voyager, and you have the Voyager bibliographic record number for it, please give it to us here. Although not required, by checking for like items in Voyager and noting the record number, it is possible to leave the filmographic information (all fields inside the black box and any credits you might otherwise have written below in the notes) except for the title blank. You may even do this if you are inventorying a different version of a film already in Voyager (check broadcast date, version and language carefully to catch such variation) as long as you note the fact that it is the same title but a different version somewhere in the filmographic information box.

34.4, LOC/MY/BARCODE #:

The vault and/or shelf location which is assigned to the item (e.g., A1-15-3) is written here, or the barcode(s) assigned to the item are attached here. Care should be taken by inventory staff not to write in this area. Barcoding and nitrate vault location are the responsibility of Collection Services and will be assigned by the Collection Services Manager or designee.

For those materials that are still being LOCATED using MY numbers, place the MY System location/inventory number here. See below for instructions on constructing and formatting these numbers.

34.5, PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION--INTRODUCTION

Use blank lines when the lines to be checked are not adequate. When filling in blank lines, please use only those abbreviations listed on SECTION 26.5, UCLA ARCHIVE ABBREVIATIONS LIST.

34.5.1, Print:

  1. Indicate the number of reels we have and the number of reels in a complete item, as well as which reels we have.

    EXAMPLES:


  2. If the playing time of this item is known, please supply it. Do not give playing times from reference books here.

  3. If the exact footage is known, please supply it. Otherwise, an estimated length is acceptable. For nitrate material and footage not otherwise estimated, indicate the footage by multiplying the number of reels times the size of the containers. Add the term 'ca.' to footage that was estimated, rather than being determined exactly.

    EXAMPLES:


  4. Check the appropriate aperture if known; otherwise, leave blank. If you can give us the exact aspect ratio, please do so on the blank line, or below under 'Additional physical description:'. If you don't know what the aspect ratio is, leave this blank. For early sound aperture, do not use the term Movietone; instead, check early sound aperture, but give the aspect ratio, if known.

  5. Check the type of sound, if you know it. If you don't know, leave it blank.

  6. Check 'mono.' or 'stereo.' if known. If not, leave it blank.

  7. Check 'col.' for a color film, 'b&w' for a black and white film, and fill in any more specific information (e.g. EC col., IB print, tinted, etc.) on the blank line. If you don't know if the print is col. or b&w, leave this box blank.

  8. Place a check next to the appropriate gauge (35 mm., 16 mm.) and base (nitrate, safety); check off the type of safety film if known; if the film is a kinescope, check the appropriate line.

  9. Note any safety or nitrate deterioration by checking the appropriate line and filling in reel(s) affected or discarded.

34.5.2, Preprint:

  1. Indicate the number of reels we have and the number of reels in a complete item, as well as which reels we have.

    EXAMPLES:


  2. If the playing time of this item is known, please supply it. Do not give playing times from reference books here.

  3. If the exact footage is known, please supply it. Otherwise, an estimated length is acceptable. For nitrate material and footage not otherwise estimated, indicate the footage by multiplying the number of reels times the size of the containers. Add the term 'ca.' to footage that was estimated rather than being determined exactly.

    EXAMPLES:


  4. Check the appropriate aperture if known. Otherwise, leave blank. If you can give us the exact aspect ratio, please do so on the blank line, or below under 'Additional physical description:'. If you don't know what the aspect ratio is, leave this blank. For early sound aperture, do not use the term Movietone; instead, check early sound aperture, but give the aspect ratio, if known.

  5. Check the type of sound, if you know it. If you don't know, leave it blank.

  6. Give us the number of tracks or channels, if known.

  7. Check 'mono.' or 'stereo.' if known. If not, leave it blank.

  8. Check off the appropriate color characteristics of the film, if known. Fill in any more specific information (e.g. information about tinting) on the blank line, or, if you need more room, under 'Additional physical description:' below. If you don't know if the preprint is col. or b&w, leave this box blank.

  9. Check whether the print is 35 mm. or 16 mm., safety or nitrate; check off the type of safety film if known; check off whether it is original, dupe, or re-recorded; whether it is picture, track, magnetic track or composite; and whether it is positive or negative, etc. If you don't know what category the item falls into in one of the boxes, leave that box blank.

  10. Note any safety or nitrate deterioration by checking the appropriate line and filling in reel(s) affected or discarded.

34.5.3, Video:

  1. Indicate the number of pieces we have, and the number of pieces in a complete item.

    EXAMPLES:

  2. For videocassettes, check off whether they are Betacam, VHS, etc.; for 1" videoreels, check off whether they are Type C; for videodiscs, check off whether they are CLV or CAV.

  3. If the playing time of this item is known, please supply it. Do not give playing times from reference books here.

  4. Check 'sd.' if the video is known to have sound.

  5. Check 'col.' for color, or 'b&w' for black and white, if known. If you don't know if the video is col. or b&w, leave this box blank.

  6. Check the appropriate tape width or disc diameter.

34.5.4, Sound:

  1. If the item is a disc, use the first line; if it is an audiocassette, use the second line; if it is on reel to reel tape, use the third line. Indicate:

    the number of sides the item is on
    OR
    which of two sides of a single disc the item is on
    AND
    the number of pieces we have.

    EXAMPLES:

  2. Indicate which part of the complete item we have.

    EXAMPLES:

  3. If the playing time of this item is known, please supply it. Do not give playing times from reference books here.

  4. Indicate whether it is an analog or digital recording, and, if digital, the type. If you don't know, leave this box blank.

  5. Check the correct speed (rpm or ips). If you don't know, leave this box blank.

  6. Indicate whether a disc is coarse or microgroove, or whether a tape is full track, half track, 2 track, 4 track or other. If you don't know, leave these boxes blank.

  7. Indicate whether the recording is mono. or stereo. If you don't know, leave this box blank.

  8. If a tape is synchronized, check 'sync,' and indicate whether 'time coded,' or 'sync pulse' if possible. If you don't know, leave this box blank.

  9. Check the appropriate disc diameter or tape width and tape reel diameter; give tape footage, if known.

  10. For discs, check the appropriate material.

  11. If the item is a Vitaphone disc, check 'Motion picture sound on disc' at the bottom of the form.

34.6, OTHER INFORMATION:

  1. Acquisition type:

    Check 'deposit,' 'donation', 'reproduction,' or 'purchase,' or indicate, on the blank line, another method of acquisition.

  2. Completeness:

    Check 'incomplete' if the item is incomplete, i.e. missing reels, cassettes or substantial footage. (Do not check here for excerpts, stock shots, Hearst Cuts and Outs, Hearst Vault Material, etc.)

  3. SAC code:

    Add SAC code if there is one.

  4. Date received:

    Fill in Date received, if known.

  5. Donor code:

    Add the appropriate code. Add a leading zero if necessary to fill out four blanks.

  6. Availability category:

    The assignment of the availability category will be done by the appropriate collection archivist; one of the following availability notes will be selected on the form:

    Additional notes concerning availability may be checked off, or more complex notes may be written in the 'Comments:' area at the end of the form.

  7. Preserved by/Reproduced from/Reproduction for: If the item is a reproduction made by us, ALWAYS give the inventory number or MY number of the item reproduced (the original) here. Preservation staff, especially newsreel preservation staff, may fill in more information here in the space provided, if desired.

  8. Condition: Give here any information you have about the item's being in bad condition.

    EXAMPLE:

  9. Additional physical description: Give here any other information you have about the physical description of the item. For preprint and video, some additional checkboxes have been provided here for common additional physical description information.

    EXAMPLE:

  10. Comments: Indicate here anything else known about the item; please use only those abbreviations included in the SECTION 26.5, UCLA ARCHIVE ABBREVIATIONS LIST.

    EXAMPLES:

  11. Initials: Fill in your initials.

  12. Date: Fill in the date you created the inventory record in the form YYMMDD.

    EXAMPLE:

    December 31, 1985 = 851231

34.7, MY SYSTEM LOCATION NUMBERS

The MY System is a location numbering system previously more widely used at the Archive, and still used for the Archive Research and Study Center and Commercial Services collections; according to the MY system, each item, as opposed to each holding, is assigned a unique number which doubles as a control (inventory) number and a location number. (However, on older multi-part items with MY numbers located at SRLF, Rosa is gradually converting the MY number on the first item to the inventory number for the entire multi-part holding. If you encounter a multi-part item located at SRLF that still has a span of MY numbers assigned to it in ORION, please report it to Rosa.) (See also Section 22, Holdings fields--852--Location for instructions on inputting a valid MY number as an inventory number.) In the MY system, materials are filed sequentially within general categories based on physical format, rather than assigned location numbers tied to fixed shelf locations.

The location number consists of an alphabetic prefix followed by a number, with the prefix most often indicating both collection and physical format (gauge, can size, element, etc.). Each number is assigned in sequence as material is inventoried, much as inventory numbers are currently assigned, but with a unique number assigned to each can or other item in a multi-part item, not just to the entire holding.

NOTE: The MY System is currently being phased out, and should be used prospectively ONLY for materials housed in one of the following two locations:

However, MY numbers that no longer function as physical location devices but only as inventory numbers can still be found on materials located at SRLF.

The following are the basic rules for assigning numbers. The list of prefixes appears after the basic rules.

  1. The number should be in the form:

    [prefix][sequential number][space] [collection code] or, for example, XFE1278 M

    Note that there is no space between the prefix and the number, but there is a space between the number and the collection code. The collection codes continue to be M for Motion Picture, T for Television, and R for Radio. These codes correspond to the single-letter prefix used in inventory numbers currently. There is no collection code suffix for Commercial Services material.

  2. For multi-part items still being assigned MY numbers (i.e. in ARSC and Commercial Services), the MY System numbers on the inventory card are expressed as a span, in the form:

    VA12443 -12445 M

    MY SYSTEM PREFIXES

    VIDEO FORMATS

    VA 1/2" videotape (assumed location, ARSC)
    VD Videodisc (assumed location, ARSC)
    DVD DVD (assumed location, ARSC)

    AUDIO FORMATS

    AA Audiocassette (assumed location ARSC)

    COLD STORAGE MATERIALS (Preservation vaults at SRLF)

    FILM FORMATS 35 mm.

    XFE 1000' can, pre-print
    XFF 1000' box, pre-print
    XFG 2000' can, pre-print
    XFH 2000' box, pre-print

    VIDEO FORMATS

    XVB 1/2" videotape submaster
    XVE 1" videotape

    AUDIO FORMATS

    XAF 1/4" magnetic tape, 1200' reel (7 in. reel)
    XAG 1/4" magnetic tape, 2400' or 2500' reel (10 1/2 in. reel)

    NOTE: Hearst materials in the preservation vaults at SRLF are assigned this prefix and not the Hearst materials (H) prefix.

    HEARST MATERIALS

    PREFIX FORMAT NOTES
    HFA 35 mm. 1000' cans preservation reference prints and Commercial Services-produced prints Can sizes other than 1000' are so rare that they should be interfiled with the 1000' cans and not be assigned the prefix HFB, etc.
    HFE 35 mm. 100' cans preprints, including those produced by Commercial Services Excludes preservation pre-print stored at the Preservation vault at SRLF
    HSA 16 mm. 400' can, print
    HSD 16 mm. cans preservation reference prints (exactly 15), including Comercial Services-produced prints There are so few entries in this category now that 1600' is used as a norm; other can sizes could be interfiled
    HSK 16 mm. cans, including Commercial Services-produced pre-prints Again, a small category with the same criteria as 16 mm. 1600' prints

    COMMERCIAL SERVICES MATERIALS

    ZDV DVCAM
    ZVA Betacam or Betacam SP tapes made by special request (being discarded)
    ZVB 3/4" "preview cassettes," (submasters) made prior to Feb. 2000
    ZVC 1" videotape masters.
    ZVD D2 videotapes, then later (for all numbers over 3000) for Beta SP submasters
    ZVS 1/2" VHS "preview cassettes" (Feb. 2000 and after). (Note that the correct code 'VA' (ZVA) could not be used because of conflict?)
    NOTE: The Z categories denote Hearst newsreel videotapes produced by Commercial Services. In all cases newsreel preservation masters produced by newsreel preservation are assumed to be sent to the preservation vaults at SRLF. If an item is deemed to be a preservation master, a copy of some sort should be made for Commercial Services accessibility and the master included with Newsreel Preservation's masters.

    34.8, ABBREVIATED HEARST NEWSREEL TITLES AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS IN CATALOGING

    34.8.1, Released footage

    ABBREVATION 245 TITLE NOTE
    HIN 4.62 INT1775 (HSN4) [HIN 1-1 through 10-78] International news. Vol. 4, issue 62-- excerpt. Story title. Indicate INT no. & HSN no. in comments section, i.e. Roll INT1775; HSN4.
    HIN 10.80 INT2500 [HIN 10-79 through 11-60] International newsreel. Vol. 10, issue 80--excerpt. Story title. Indicate INT no. in comments section, i.e. Roll INT2500.
    MGM 1.57 INT1729 [MGM 1-1 through 2-100] MGM news. Vol. 1, issue 57--excerpt. Story title. Indicate INT no. in comments section, i.e. Roll INT1729.
    HMGM 3.35 INT1744 [MGM 2-101 through 3-79] MGM international newsreel. Vol. 3, issue 35--excerpt. Story title. Indicate INT no. in comments section, i.e. Roll INT1744.
    HNR 1.261 [HNR 1-200 through 8-215] Hearst Metrotone news. Vol. 1, no. 261--excerpt. Story title. --
    HNR 8.301 [HNR 8-216 through 39-233] News of the day. Vol. 8, no. 301-- excerpt. Story title. --
    HTD 7-134-NY5 R1479 Telenews. Vol. 7, issue 134--excerpt. Story title. Ignore Bureau number (NY5). Indicate INT no. in comments section, i.e. Roll 1479.
    HTS 6.49 This week in sports. Vol. 6, issue 49--excerpt. Story title. --

    34.8.2, Unedited footage

    ABBREVIATIONS 245 TITLE NOTE
    HCO C2108 R4 XD61543 (used in HTD 14-195-NY5 R2154) Telenews. Vol. 14, issue 195--excerpt. Story title-- outtakes. Excerpt title (from Hearst index card), if different, HCOc2108r4, XD61543 The original item from which the footage was edited is not always known. Supply as much information as possible using the date (see date tables below to determine series title and vol. no. when date is known) and existing ORION records.
    INT2681 (HSN 145) [no vol. or issue number] Footage title from Hearst index card. Hearst silent vault material, INT2681 Indicate HSN no. in comments section.
    HVM C2560 R4 D14306 Footage title from Hearst index card. Hearst vault material, HVMc2560r4, D14306.

    When newsreel stories or segments were duped by the Hearst Corporation, the dupe was labelled with the HVM prefix and stored with Hearst Vault Material. In such cases, describe the footage in terms of the original newsreel issue, and indicate the HVM number on the nventory form in the comments section, i.e. AKA HVMc2560r4.

    For vault material which is actually released footage obtained from another company, describe the footage in terms of its original release title; give the HVM no. in the comments area.

    [Unidentified newsreel? German?--excerpt. Fiorello La Guardia, New York, N.Y.].

    HVM C6489 R6 (HIN 8.74 INT755) International news. Vol. 8, issue 74--excerpt. Story title. Indicate INT no. and HVM can and roll no. in comments section, i.e. Roll INT755; HVMc6489r6
    HVM C6486 R15 (INT2454) Footage title from Hearst index card. Hearst silent vault material, INT2454, HVMc6486r15. --
    HCC C227 R6 10281 Footage title from Hearst index card. Hearst color cans, HCCc227r6, 10281. --
    HGST 2.27 General sports time. Vol. 2, no. 27--excerpt. Story title. --
    HVM C4181 R3 15980 Pt. 1 of 2 cut story Story title. Hearst vault material, HVMc4181r3, 15980--excerpt. Part 1 of 2, cut story portion. --
    NOTE: For almost any category of newsreel footage, there will occasionally be cases where Commercial Services will duplicate part, but not all, of the item. Treat these as excerpts.

    For a list of Hearst newsreel volume numbers with corresponding dates, refer to Newsreel Date Table.

Last modified: November 18, 2010, my