4.1 Introduction

The archival moving image field has changed dramatically in recent years, with technological advances revolutionising cataloguing, preservation, and access practices. To help cataloguers and archivists respond to these changes, FIAF presented the FIAF Moving Image Cataloguing Manual (FIAF Manual), a revision of the 1991 FIAF Cataloguing Rules for Film Archives (FIAF Rules). These new guidelines, created by the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission and the FIAF Cataloguing Rules Revision Working Group, aimed to help cataloguers create cataloguing or metadata records that would meet requirements of new database technologies and new metadata standards while remaining compatible with older methods and standards. Ten years later this revised edition does the same.

The Manual offers primarily descriptive cataloguing rules rather than a schema of data elements. However, it is difficult to discuss rules without mentioning data elements where the rules would be applied (e.g., Title, Date, etc.). Thus, the Manual by default provides both a metadata structure (fields or elements) and rules in how to input the values the fields contain. It reflects current and recommended cataloguing practices at international film archives represented on the Commission with the goal of interoperability with related cataloguing and metadata standards.

The cataloguing of moving images encompasses the complex, professional tasks of gathering and arranging data within systems upon which an institution depends. Indeed, accurate, well-organised descriptions of both filmographic and technical information about an institution’s collection serve as the basis for informed internal use such as preservation, collections development, and outreach or exhibition. They further constitute the key to accessing collections by external users such as scholars, researchers and the general public – both now and for future generations.[^1]

Cataloguing archival moving images combines general archival processing methodologies and traditional library cataloguing. The process of archiving moving images applies practices held in common with archiving other materials such as papers and manuscripts. The materials’ origin or provenance is a key element to understanding their significance. Their historical context shows their relationship(s) to other works and, in cases of works with multiple manifestations, the development of individual works. Knowledge of this historical context and development of materials can be useful in their preservation.[^2] An attempt has been made throughout the guidelines to address capturing provenance and preservation information.

This manual is intended to address some of the limitations moving image archives face when using guidelines and systems developed primarily for general libraries.

General library catalogues are built to support the discovery of a specific publication and its various editions. This discovery is facilitated by a focus on the creation of access points to author, title and/or subject. Many libraries catalogue through bibliographic utilities to pool effort by sharing records of these single publications. While this shared bibliographic model works well for libraries, since many will have exact copies of the same publication, it does not provide all the functions that moving image archives need. Because moving image archives’ collections often include unique or rare holdings, such as pre-print elements, master prints, and unreleased material in addition to viewing copies, they need catalogues that go beyond the functions of a library catalogue to meet many of the collection management needs of archives. The FIAF Manual is intended to provide guidance in creating metadata or cataloguing records that fulfill these collection management functions.

It is recognised that institutions use a variety of systems and data structures and may find it difficult to implement far-ranging changes in their cataloguing practices. The revisions suggested in this manual will help archives harmonise their practices with related standards, models, and schema as far as possible.