Microforms Overview

[draft 5/5/16 C. Spell]

1. Add 500 notes in holdings records:

• for microform set:

500 For guide to the microform set see: [call no.] $5 MU

• for printed guide:

500 For microform text see: [call no.] $5 MU

1. Classify guide by subject and catalog to the Du Bois stacks.

Microforms call numbers are listed in the “Red Book” called “Microforms, CD-Roms, DVD-ROMS Numbers” kept at Lucy deGozzaldi's desk.

Assign consecutive accession numbers to microforms as follows:

* Microfilm A

All periodical records

All serial records

Population census publication sets (both monographic and serial) published by Research Publications

* Microfilm D:

Large government document sets (United States and Massachusetts only)

U.S. Dept. of State. Records of … (from the U.S. Archives)

Dispatches from American embassies and consuls (usually from U.S. Archives)

Note: Series D Microfilm is to be used for any U.S. governmental type series, including large sets of diplomatic papers, census of any specific year, etc.

This series has also been used for some state documents, such as the Massachusetts legislative records, etc.

There are a variety of items in the general series which appear to be in categories that should have been placed in the D series.

* Microfilm (Plain number only):

All monographs

Confidential records of the U.S. Dept. of State

Other governmental records

U.S. Presidential records

• Microfiche: All records

• Reference Microfiche: When requested by the Reference Department

• Microprint: All records (obsolete - but numbering scheme still exists in the “Red Book”)

• Microopaque: All records (obsolete but Note: use the Microprint numbering in the “Red Book.” A separate numbering scheme was never devised or used)

• Microcard: All records (obsolete - but numbering scheme still exists in the “Red Book” )

All microforms are now cataloged to the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. Formerly, microforms were cataloged to the former three branch libraries: Music Library, Morrill Biological Science Library, and the Physical Sciences and Engineering Library. Former science microforms call numbers are prefaced by “S”. For example Microfiche S221, which distinguishes it from Microfiche 211, which was a Du Bois collection. This is an important distinction to bear in mind when looking for microforms, as the “S” series and regular series are in different cabinets. Music Library microforms have been incorporated into the Du Bois numbering scheme.

— Primary Contact: Sarah Thomson 2009/05/20 14:25; amended 5/4/16 C. Spell