ACOFS BULLETIN
MAY
2004
NUMBER
7
NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO LENDING
COLLECTION
This collection on film and video comprises the General Lending Collection
and the Film Study Collection. As of July 1st, the entire collection
will be passed over to ScreenSound Australia, the National Screen and Sound
Archive (The Archive) which is currently a part of the Australian Film
Commission. This means that the Archive will take over both ownership from the
National Library of Australia, and management from the Australian Centre for the
Moving Image in Melbourne.
The Library first signalled its intention to dispose of its film
collections in 1996, and it was expected at the time that the newly constituted
Film and Sound Archive would take over. For various political and financial
reasons this did not eventuate, and the Collection moved to Melbourne under the
banner of the then Cinemedia. ACMI/Cinemedia have done a marvellous job managing
the Collection with varying degrees of support from the Library over six years.
Much was achieved until staff losses in 2003 led to a mere holding operation.
Client services up to the present have been of a very high standard and
there have been very few complaints from users.
As the long term solution there is no doubt that the Collection is about
to find its true and hopefully final home. This is a unique and world renowned
collection and should be able to go to the heights demanded by new technology
when it is owned and managed by the one body with finally an acquisitions budget
to match its aspirations. I have no doubt that the appointments already made
within the Archive to manage the move from Melbourne, and its establishment in
Canberra, will be most diligent in their stated aim to cause ‘no disruption to
services’. David Boden (Acting Deputy Director, ScreenSound Australia) assures
me that there will be no delay in dispatches or ability to take forward
bookings.
All of this being said however, I was astounded to learn that the Archive
intends to move the Collection to Canberra ‘at the earliest possible moment’
as soon as it assumes official responsibility. This means that the films that
have bookings on them will be separated from the rest of the Collection, before
they are removed to Canberra, to ensure that they are delivered within the
required time frame. Before this, MEDIANET, the booking and cataloguing system,
has to be installed in Canberra, and then the current data transferred from
Melbourne with new operators being trained. This is an operation not to be taken
lightly. The Archive is already taking steps to acquire the Medianet license and
system.
It is not clear yet where the titles already booked will reside – with
ACMI at Park St, or move to the Archive in Clarendon St, or move to Canberra.
One can only hope for the first alternative. Otherwise there will be a period
with films in three different locations with the distinct possibility of
bookings being placed at any one time on all three. The Archive staff will have
control of all bookings and deliveries from 1st July 2004. Apart from
David Boden, who is the Deputy Director responsible for this project, Ann Baylis
is the Senior Manager, and Kate McLoughlin the Project Manager for the move and
operation of the Collection. Both Ann and Kate were with the Film Collection
before they moved to the Archive. In Melbourne, Helen Tully, manager of The
Archive ‘s Melbourne office will be in charge. These appointments show a high
level of commitment on the part of the Archive, and all of them are dedicated
people, but the task ahead is quite huge.
The exposure to Film Societies and other borrowers is quite clear. When
the Collection moved to Melbourne it was done during the ‘dead’ period of
December/January 1996/97, and borrowings were suspended for a period whilst the
Collection was bedded down in its new home. Disruption was kept to an absolute
minimum. We are promised that there will be no disruption this time, the only
difference being that the move will take place whilst hundreds (or even
thousands) of bookings are being processed and returned, and new bookings being
accepted. It is unlikely that
express bookings will be available during the relocation.
At this stage, with six weeks to go, I recommend that all societies
examine their bookings on the Collection for JULY, AUGUST and SEPTEMBER very
carefully, and have a plan ‘B’ in place in the event of a film being delayed
or not appearing. All societies know when to expect deliveries of their films
i.e how many days before screening. If after July 1st your films do
not arrive on the usual day, start ringing to find out why. Everything may run
like clockwork, but its better to be ready for any eventuality.
Unfortunately I shall be overseas from the 24th May to 22nd
June (approx), but I have been invited to see the new operation in action both
in Melbourne and Canberra when I return. Hopefully, I can do this before July 1st,
and send out another letter outlining the new operation in detail. At this time
I will report on the future of the Embassy Collections, the AFTRS films and the
ROADSHOW Collections all of which will remain with ACMI in Melbourne, and
hopefully on national distribution.
In the meantime the numbers to ring will be as follows: (02) 6248 2049 and
0418 117 501. These will reach Kate McLoughlin. If she is not available try Ann
Baylis (02)6248 2000 in Canberra or Helen Tully (03) 9685 5800 in Melbourne.
When the Minister (Rod Kemp) signs the document officially transferring the
Collection from the National Library to ScreenSound Australia, David Boden will
send out a letter to all borrowers outlining the operational details.
The Archive will continue to keep people informed through their website www.screensound.gov.au
and will have available a freecall 1800 number to ring in June.
John Turner
PRESIDENT.
20th May 2004