7.3 Agents for Items

An Agent for moving image Items is defined as an entity that is involved in the acquisition, movement (for loans, inspection, storage, etc.), or preservation of a moving image Item and who is considered to have major responsibility for, or be of major importance to, the moving image Item. Full names pertaining to in-house staff are advisable for clarity, rather than initials of individuals.

Agent(s) may also have relationships to an instance of a specific Event or of an “Other” relationship in connection with the Item.

An institution should determine the types of functions they wish to include in this area. These functions may vary from institution to institution according to the types of moving image material held and range of activities.

7.3.1 Agent Activity – Items

Describes the activity of the Agent to make explicit the relationship(s) between the Agent and the Item.

Record one or more Agent activity terms, for example, “preservationist,” “curator,” “acquisition source”, “relevant in-house job title” etc., to express the nature of the Agent’s relationship to the Item. Selection should be made from a controlled list of terms.

Choose the single most specific term, if possible. If no suggested terms apply, compose a term to describe the relationship between the Agent and the Item. If the relationship is ambiguous, use a value to indicate this, for example, “unknown.” Optionally, when the role performed by an Agent is probable but not certain, provide the function name followed by a question mark, or by a qualifying note.

Besides the principal Agent Activities suggested, institutions, particularly those with special interests, should create and apply in-house value lists of other specific Agent activities, which may vary from institution to institution.

Record in a note any additional details that cannot be expressed through controlled terms.