About the Collection

The Marjorie I. Mitchell Multimedia Center contains a circulating collection of over 23,000 titles that supports the instruction & research needs of Northwestern University faculty and students. The collection consists of 1/2" VHS tapes, laserdiscs, DVDs and spoken word recordings formatted to VHS. The collection may include all subject areas related to Northwestern University's curriculum and research interests. It includes outstanding titles in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

The Multimedia Center houses the following formats in the collection:

• 14,000 NTSC 1/2" VHS videotapes
• 1,000 laserdiscs
• 8,000 digital video discs (DVD)
• spoken word recordings reformatted to VHS videotape

All formats in the collection circulate (including bound guides) with the exception of laserdiscs and CDs. All titles in the collection are cataloged and represented in NUcat , the Library's online computer catalog. Materials to be viewed or checked out should be requested at the service counter by title and call number.

A current Northwestern University (NU) WildCARD or valid borrower's card is needed to access the collection.

Locating and using videotapes

All titles in the collection are cataloged and represented in , the Library's online computer catalog. The main search screen gives you three search criteria:

• 1. Search For (Enter your title, call number, or keywords depending on your second criteria)
• 2. Search In (Title, Call Number, Keyword)
• 3. Limit To (Optional) (This is where you can choose "Videorecording" so your results will only be in video format. Ex: Typing in "Romeo and Juliet" and limiting to videorecordings will greatly narrow down your search results.)

Materials should be requested at the service counter by title and call number. Annotated guides to various segments of the collection may also be consulted in the department.

Selection criteria

A wide number of criteria are applied to selections in all areas. The principal selector relies on critical reviews for most decisions. These criteria may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Timeliness of the information
2. Level and quality of treatment
3. Technical quality and format
4. Aesthetic appeal
5. Anticipated use levels
6. Cost

While high technical audio and visual quality (i.e., at or near professional broadcast standards) is preferred in the collection, it is recognized that it may not always be possible to meet such exacting standards, particularly with regard to research materials (as opposed to materials to support instruction). Field recordings, off-air recordings, and certain categories of material such as silent films, frequently fail to meet the highest possible standards for technical quality. Nevertheless, most commercially available titles selected to support instruction will - and must - meet these professional broadcast standards. In all cases, titles in which picture and sound quality fail to adequately convey the content will not be selected.