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Film Collection

Table of contents

1. Location & Hours

The SFU Library Film Collection is located in the Media Resource Centre (Room 3100) on the Third Floor of the Bennett library.
Telephone: 778.782.4497.

Hours vary, depending on the time of the term. Check Library Hours - Services and Collections for current information.

2. The Collection

Educational films, DVDs and videos are available in the SFU Bennett Library Media Resource Centre (Room 3100). There is also a small collection of videos and DVDs located at Surrey Library.

The SFU Library has over 4,000 videorecordings, DVDs, laser discs and 16 mm films on a wide range of subjects for use by members of the university community. The collection includes documentaries, experimental and performing arts films, and feature films. Most of the items in the SFU Library Film Collection are licensed for non-theatrical public performance use at Simon Fraser University, and may be used in the classroom. Home use items in the collection are not licenced for classroom viewing.

3. The Catalogue

The Film Collection is listed in the SFU Library Catalogue.

To find 16 mm films, videos or DVDs in the Library Catalogue, search by Title, Author (director or performer), Subject or Keyword and Limit your search by the specific collections > Movies (DVDs, videos, etc), using the drop-down box. If you are not sure of the title or subject, use keyword search. To limit your search to DVDs rather than videos, search by Keyword using the term "dvd" in your search (e.g. Word search: roger and me and dvd).

To find titles that were previously acquired through SFU departmental funding or cost-sharing agreements with LIDC, search by the department name as a Subject (e.g. Subject: Women's Studies) and Limit by the specific collections > Movies (DVDs, videos, etc) . You can also search by the department as a Subject, using the format: Department - Video recordings (e.g. Subject: Sociology and Anthropology - Video recordings).

For assistance in finding materials in the Film Collection, ask for help in the Media Resource Centre or at the Reference Desks in the Bennett, Belzberg or Surrey Libraries.

4. Use of the Collection

Materials in the SFU Library Film Collection support the curriculum at Simon Fraser University and are available to SFU faculty, staff and students for teaching, research and study purposes.

Film Bookings

All items in the Media Resource Centre, Surrey and Belzberg Libraries that are licensed for non-theatrical public performance use at Simon Fraser University may be booked for classroom viewing by SFU faculty, instructors and students at the Burnaby, Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses. Home use videos and DVDs are not bookable for use in the classroom. Some Surrey Library materials may be restricted for use at the Surrey campus.

To book a 16 mm film, video or DVD for classroom viewing, contact staff at: media@sfu.ca or use the online film booking form. Include all known information on film title or subject, director, call number, preferred format, date & time of showing, classroom location, course number, instructor's name & telephone number. You may also call media booking staff at 778.782.3116.

Media booking staff may be able to arrange previews, bookings or rentals of titles not available at SFU Library through agreements with other libraries and commercial vendors. SFU Library is a member of the Media Exchange Cooperative (MEC), a consortium of post-secondary media libraries in British Columbia. To search for films, videos or DVDs held by other libraries in BC, connect to Outlook Online and select the ELN Media Catalogue. To request a preview or book a title from another source, contact staff at media@sfu.ca or 778.782.3116.

You can check your SFU film bookings online by clicking on View Your Borrower Record from the library homepage, then selecting View your library record, renew your books, view your film bookings, etc. SFU media booking staff are not able to confirm film bookings requested from other sources until confirmation has been received from the lending library or distributor.

For more information on film bookings, contact Document Delivery Services staff at media@sfu.ca or 778.782.3116 or the Assistant Head of Access Services, Don Taylor, at dstaylor@sfu.ca or 778.782.5596.

Loans & Reserves

Videos and DVDs that are licensed for public performance use at SFU may be borrowed for home viewing by SFU faculty, staff and students, if not booked for classroom viewings or on restricted loan. Regular loan periods are 1 week for faculty, graduate students and staff and 3 days for undergraduate students. Due to licencing restrictions, alumni and regular extra mural borrower cards do not allow borrowing privileges of 16 mm films, videos or DVDs from SFU Library.

Videos and DVDs may be placed on course reserve in the Bennett Library Reserves, Belzberg Library or Surrey Library. Reserve loan periods are 2 hours, 4 hours or 24 hours. Some titles may be restricted to use in the library only. Items on course reserve are not eligible for interlibrary loan and may not be requested for pickup at another SFU library location. To place items on reserve at the Belzberg or Bennett Libraries, contact Media Resource Centre staff at: 778.782.4497 or lib-mc-staff@sfu.ca. To place items on reserve at Surrey Library, contact Liza Eurich at lib-surrey@sfu.ca or 778.782.7411.

Home use videos in the Bennett Library general collection may be borrowed for 1 week loan by SFU faculty, staff, students, alumni and regular extra mural borrowers.

See the library guide to Borrowing Materials from the Collection for more information regarding library loan policies and borrower categories.

5. Equipment

Playback equipment is available in the Media Resource Centre, Belzberg Library & Surrey Library to view video cassettes and DVDs. There are also two video cassette players available on the 6th Floor of the Bennett Library, near the microform readers.

A preview room in the Media Resource Centre is equipped to view video cassettes, DVDs and 16mm films. The room may be booked by SFU faculty and students who wish to preview or study a film in small groups. To book this room, contact Media Resource Centre staff at lib-mc-staff@sfu.ca or 778.782.4497, during open hours. Check Library Hours - Services and Collections for Media Resource Centre hours.

Media booking staff will notify Audio Visual Equipment Services staff about equipment needs for classroom film bookings at the Burnaby and Harbour Centre campuses. Equipment may also be borrowed from AV services. For any futher questions regarding classroom technology support and other equipment needs contact CTA staff directly at 778.782.4828 (AQ - P9301), 778.782.5538 (WMC 2262) or 778.782.5016 (HCC 1230).

6. Building the Collection

Materials in the Film Collection support the curriculum at Simon Fraser University and are intended for teaching, research and study purposes. For a list of new films added to the Collection see New books, movies, music on the library website.

SFU faculty and instructors should contact their departmental Liaison Librarian to discuss library acquisitions or to recommend new titles for the collection. Film catalogues are available for browsing in the Bennett Library Media Resource Centre (Room 3100). For a list of film vendors & Canadian distributors see Film Vendors.

Media booking staff may be able to arrange previews of from Canadian film distributors or other post-secondary institutions in BC. To search for film titles held by other libraries in BC, connect to Outlook Online and select the ELN Media Catalogue. To request a preview, contact media booking staff at media@sfu.ca.

7. Copyright

See the following sources for information on copyright and the use of media resources.

AMTEC (Association for Media and Technology in Education in Canada)

Canadian copyright law: the indispensable guide for writers, musicians, visual artists, filmmakers, publishers, editors, teachers, librarians, students, lawyers and business people. 3rd ed. Toronto : McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2001. Belzberg & Bennett Reference & Library Z 565 H37 2001

Canadian Copyright Act (Dept. of Justice)

Copyright Board of Canada

For more information contact Media Resource Collection staff at 778.782.4497 or Don Taylor, Assistant Head of Access Services, at dstaylor@sfu.ca.

Owned by: Don Taylor
Revised by: Web Master
Last Modified: 2010-09-02