Feature films

[Procedure]

Since LC does not class feature films, they don't assign a place for it in the schedules. Documentaries can be classed by subject, but for feature films it is necessary for MIT to create its own system of classification.

MIT practice is to class movies next to their screenplays (text and criticism), which LC classes in PN1997 (movies produced before 2001) and PN1997.2 (produced 2001- ).

It has been determined that LC practice for cutters for screenplays has changed, which means that MIT’s practice for feature film cutters must reflect that change.

Old system

LC used two cutters for the screenplay, the first for the name of the film, the second for the author of the screenplay. This had the effect of randomly placing the screenplay among works about the film, where the first cutter was for the name of the film and the second was for the author of criticism about the film.

For the video, MIT used only the first cutter for the name of the film, placing it before the screenplay and criticism.

PN1997.M436 1989 Metropolis [videorecording]
PN1997.M436.F75 2000 Fritz Lang's Metropolis : cinematic visions of technology and fear
PN1997.M436.L3 Metropolis : a film by Fritz Lang [screenplay]
PN1997.M436.M48 2000 Metropolis : ein filmisches Laboratorium der modernen Architektur

New system

LC now uses a single cutter for the name of the film for screenplays, and double cutters for
criticism. Since the single cutter was what MIT was using for the video, we will now need to
distinguish the video from the screenplay by adding a second cutter .A1. This will result in a
shelflist order of:

screenplay
video of the film itself
works about the film

PN1997.S56 1986 Singin' in the rain (Classic film scripts) [screenplay]
PN1997.S56.A1 1986 Singin' in the rain [videorecording]
PN1997.S56.W67 1992 Singin' in the rain / Peter Wollen. (BFI film classics)

Assigning call numbers and subject headings

Call numbers and a subject heading for feature films may be added by copy
catalogers to copy lacking classification and/or subject headings. Call
numbers will be in either PN1997 or PN1997.2 (depending on the date;
see above) and the subject can be simply "Feature films."

Please send us your comments!

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Drafted by Raymond Schmidt on 030325; maintained by Gordon Thomas and last updated on 070208.