Skip to main content

Grand Rapids Public Library moving image collection

 Collection
Identifier: Collection 175

Scope and Contents

This collection does not include audio only formats, unless it is a component of the final moving image. For reel to reel or cassette tapes migrated to digital formats, see the Oral History collections, or the specific collection with which the original audio tapes were received.

This finding aid lists film and video holdings currently processed and known to be available within the archives of the Grand Rapids Public Library (Michigan). Other formats of moving image data, either analog or digital, are beginning to be included here, as these become available. The same contents might be found in the collection in one or more different types of moving image formats.

Items specifically assigned to this collection are those that have no home in other GRPL archival collections. However, items from other archival collections, which are moving images, have also often been housed with Coll. 175, for consistency of housing and management for the moving image formats. Such items are described in the finding aids for both the originating collection to which the item officially belongs, as well as Coll. 175, where the item is shelved. Thus, this finding aid should ultimately act as a guide to all moving image holdings within the GRPL archives.

Formerly this collection contained mainly content that was related to Grand Rapids local history only. In 2000, however, the scope of the collection was changed to include all of the moving images that are part of GRHSCC holdings, including Michigan subject matter and/or commercial products purchased for general use. In 2006, this process changed once again, and moving images are once again also now sitting on the open shelves in the department. Other titles which had broader subject scopes, such as preservation videos or oral history technique videos, are now included here.

Formats Originally the collection contained films, but as video became more and more popular, a number of the films were transferred to video tape. Items in all available film formats are included in the collection. Where the department holds a real or casual master, or only a purchase user copy, all items are listed in the collection. Since 2000, some masters have been received in digital format, adding yet another dimension to the collection. 16mm and 8mm films are included. Most video is in the VHS format. Unedited versions, variants and duplicate copies have now been added to the collection.

Dates

  • 1915-present

Copyright note

There are copyright issues with many of the videos, which means that reproduction may be unavailable or limited in some cases.

Duplication is, of course, prohibited by law where the video is commercially prepared, clearly copyrighted and the copyright is held elsewhere. In most of these cases, no master is available, and if the tape is destroyed or disrupted replacement must come from the originating organization or individual.

Biographical / Historical

This collection began as a small film collection in the office of the City Historian in 1979. Over the years a number of additional films and videos were donated by various people. Among these are a number of videos or films depicting special events in the Grand Rapids area.

The collection generally documents Kent County, Michigan history, with some items specifically documenting Grand Rapids history. For instance, there are: "The Girls of Summer - the Grand Rapids Chicks 1945-54," the "Cedar Springs Historical Society Historic Moments," the "Furniture Festival Parade of 1936," the Indianapolis 500 Race of 1937, the 1967 race riots, the Grand Rapids Flood of 1937, and "The Renewing of a Vision with Frank Lloyd Wright." The collection contain material from a large time frame, currently dating from 1915 with the "Blissveldt Romance" to Legacy 1994, but the bulk of the material dates from the early 1940s through the 1970s.

Extent

76 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Grand Rapids Public Library Archives Moving Image Collection contains several titles, some now held in different format generations, including film (analog), video (analog), and digital cassette or digital disk. These moving images are received as gifts from various donors, or as the result of Grand Rapids Historical Commission projects done with the Library under former City Historian Gordon Olson, or as general usage purchases. Included are a few oral histories, also created by Olson. Subject matter focuses on Grand Rapids local history, Michigan topics, archival preservation, or oral history preparation. No indexing is currently available to the contents of the videos. Synopses of commercially prepared materials may accompany the item, but synopses of the many locally prepared items are mostly not yet available. Various types of Masters are available for some video titles. Reproduction services are available for some titles in the collection; others under published copyright should be purchased elsewhere, and are not available for reproduction. In some cases there may be a circulating copy in the Library's general video collection for some of the titles in this archival collection. This is the only moving image collection at the Grand Rapids Public Library which can be viewed within the department, since no archival materials circulate outside of the Library.

Arrangement

Each physical cassette or analog/digital container, has been assigned a number within the collection. This numbering continues sequentially throughout the entire collection. This is the third element of the address for the items physical location, including first the collection number, second the box number, and third the moving image container number.

Another number on the tape documents the intellectual contents. This is a unique number which attempts to collocate the different physical versions of the same moving images content from one container to another. Several different containers may display this same number, which should indicate that they have all or part of the same content. A title which is also part of a standard composite version will have it’s own number, as well as be included under the composite number for that particular combination of titles.

Example: Grand Rapids History in Film. Including Blissveldt, Kiddies, Gateway, & Welsh

Container 009, a video cassette, has the above content. There is a duplicate of this same content, and if this is retained for the collection it will have a different container number.

The Content number for this composite of titles, under the composite title “Grand Rapids History in Film” is “00092”. There are other containers which have the Blissveldt content, either alone, or in combination with other titles. There containers each have their own unique container number. Content numbers have been given for each unique composite, and to the title alone.

Format Codes

Format coding has been created to identify the physical format of the item, in connection with the content number. That is, “00092” is the content number for a particular composite of titles under the composite title ”Grand Rapids History in Film.”

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Various and unknown

General

This collection may include information on moving images which were received with and are officially a part of another archival collection, such as the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Collection. Some of these materials remain unprocessed, others may have a designated local in Coll. 175, along with the other department moving images, but will also be documented in the collection of origin.

Title
Finding aid for the moving images collection at the Grand Rapids Public Library
Status
Completed
Author
C. Derda-Vanderstelt
Date
February 1995
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Sponsor
Funds for the original arrangement and description of the collection (existing pre-1998) were provided by the Questors Club of Grand Rapids.

Repository Details

Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository

Contact:
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497