British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

UNIVERSITY OF READING, FACULTY OF LETTERS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Description
The Department of Archives and Manuscripts on the 1st Floor of the Main Library Whiteknights is responsible not only for a large body of University archives and records but also for around 150 major collections of historical and literary papers and over 1500 other items. These include: Vernon Bartlett (1894-1983) was an author, journalist and broadcaster; The Beckett Collection is the world’s largest collection of Samuel Beckett resources. It contains manuscript items, typescript drafts, notebooks, correspondence, material from performances of Beckett plays, editions of Beckett’s work and critical texts in over 20 languages, artists’ illustrated books, newspaper cuttings, audiovisual material, photographs and ephemera; Papers of Elinor Glyn, playwright and novelist (1864-1943), who was chiefly known for popular romantic fiction and for Hollywood film scripts; Correspondence of David Lean (1908-1991) and others.
Website
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/libweb/
Keywords
Cinema
Access
Limited access for children under 10 at Main Library, Whiteknights. Restrictions on loan of software and AV material and access to special collections.
Access for outsiders
Libraries are generally available for reference.
Facilities
Video -playback machines at Bulmershe Library, Main Library at Whiteknights and Music Library.
Charges
Charges apply for external membership of Library, granted at Librarian’s discretion.

Moving Image, Audio and Related Documentation Holdings

Books
Extensive collection of books relating to film studies.
Ephemera
Film and radio advertisement materials and movie stills in the Rickards Collection, Centre for Ephemera Studies, Department of Typography.
Journals
Wide range of dead and current subscriptions to film journals.
Manuscripts
Papers relating to Sir David Lean.
Music
Very small number of CDs/tapes of film music and television themes.
Still Images
Slide and microfiche collection of theatre stills at Bulmershe Library. (See also below under Ephemera.)
Theses
PhD and MPhil theses are in the Library; M.A. theses are with the Departments.
Video/Film
Numerous small departmental collections of off-air recordings. NOT available to external visitors.

Catalogues

Online catalogue
Yes - http://www.unicorn.rdg.ac.uk
Library OPAC
Yes - especially books and periodicals. Z39.50 compliant.
Card catalogue
Yes - gradually being retrospectively converted, especially at Bulmershe Library.
Digitised catalogue
No. No plans to do so.

Main Contact

Name
Mr. A.W.E. Phillips
Job title
Head of Department
Department
Department of Film & Drama
Telephone
0118 931 8878
Fax
0118 931 8873
Email
a.w.e.phillips@reading.ac.uk
Address
Whiteknights
Reading
RG6 6AA

Alternate Contact

Name
Mr C B Cipkin
Telephone
0118 931 8413
Fax
0118 931 2335
Email
c.b.cipkin@reading.ac.uk

Record Stats

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