How to Do Research at The Paul Robeson Library: Film Studies

To Find a Book at the Paul Robeson Library Use:

• IRIS the Rutgers University Libraries Catalog
  Tips on understanding call numbers
  The general call number area for books on film studies is PN1993 -- PN 1999.
  "Motion pictures" is the official subject heading for film.
  

Selective List Reference Books Available at Paul Robeson Library:

• Motion Picture Guide (REF PN1995.N346 1986) .
  • Complete and authoritative film reference guide listing information on 53,000 English language films. Vol. 1-9 covers films released 1927 to 1983/4; Vol. 10, silent films released 1910 to 1936. For each film, information is provided on date of release, running time, cast, plot synopsis and analysis, production credits, type of film, and video cassette availability. Arranged alphabetically by title. Two volume index includes listings of every name in the cast and production credits.
• American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the U.S. (REF PN1998.A57).
  • Description of films produced 1911-20, 1921-30 and 1961-70.
• Encyclopedia of American Film Comedy (REF PN1995.9.C55.L34 1987).
• Halliwell's Filmgoer's and Video Viewer's Companion (REF PN1993.45.H3 1995).
• Halliwell's Film Guide (REF PN1993.45.H27 1986).
• International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Vol. 1: Films (REF PN1997.8.F555 1984).
  • Emphasizes most widely studied films; coverage is international. Includes names of cast, list of publications on the film and a long essay summarizing the plot and presenting critical analysis on various aspects of the film.
• International Motion Picture Almanac (REF PN1993.3.I55 1993).
  • Sections on who's who in motion pictures, current releases, services, talent and literary agencies and other aspects of the film business.
• Chronicle of the Cinema (REF PN 1993.5.A1.C55 1995)
• Encyclopedia of European Cinema (REF PN 1993.5.E8.V56 1995)
• Hispanics in Hollywood: An Encyclopedia of Film and Television (REF PN 1995.9.H47.R49 1994)
• Oxford History of World Cinema (REF PH 1993.5.E8.A1096 1995)
• Film Encyclopedia (REF PN 1993.45.K34 1994)
• Film Studies Dictionary (REF PN 1993.45 B49 2001)
• Complete Film Dictionary (REF PN 1993.45 K66 1997)

• Literature Resource Center (online). Critical essays and resources on screenwriters.
  • Critical essays on important writers. To locate the entry on a particular writer, check the cumulative author index in the back of the last volume of the set. American Screenwriters (Vol. 26) and, American Screenwriters, 2nd Series (Vol. 44) are the volumes covering writers for film.
• Biographical Dictionary of Film (REF PN1998.A2T55 1981).
  • Biographical essays on directors, actors, actresses, producers and other figures central to the history of the cinema.
• Bogle, Donald. Blacks in American Films and Television: An Encyclopedia (REF PN1995.9.N4.B58 1989).
  • Articles on feature films, actors, actresses, producers and others important in black film history.
• Hochman, Stanley. American Film Directors (REF PN1995.9.P7H57).
  • Excerpts from articles, essays and books on American directors
• World Film Directors (REF PN1998.2.W67 1987).
  • Vol.l: 1890-1945 includes directors born before 1920 and well launched in their careers before 1945. Vol.2: 1945-1985 includes more recent figures. Provides introductions to the works and lives of 400 of the world's best known directors from the beginning of the cinema to the present.
• Biographical Handbook of Hispanics and United States Film (REF PN 1995.9 H47 K46 1997)
• New Biographical Dictionary of Film (REF PN 1998.2 T49 2002)
• Women Film Directors: an International Bio-Critical Dictionary (REF PN 1998.2 F67 1995)

• Hyatt, Marshall. Afro-American Cinematic Experience: An Annotated Bibliography & Filmography
  (REF PN1995.9.N4H9 1983).
• Schuster, Mel. Motion Picture Directors; A Bibliography of Magazine and Periodical Articles, 1900-1972
  (REF Z5784.M9S34).
• Woll, Allen L. Ethnic and Racial Images in American Film and Television: Historical Essays and Bibliography
  (REF PN1995.9.M56W65 1987).

• Filmography of Social Issues (REF PN 1995.9 S62 M58 2004)
• Encyclopedia of Horror Movies (REF PN 1995.9 H6 M5 1986)
• Great Science Fiction Pictures II (REF PN 1995.9 S20 P38 1990)

• Historical Dictionary of Irish Cinema (REF PN 1993.5 I85 F695 2007)
• Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema (REF PN 1995.9 N4 B433 2007)
• Historical Dictionary of German Cinema (REF PN 1993.5 G3 R417 2008)
• BFI Companion to German Cinema (REF PN 1993.5 A35 C87 1998)
• Guide to African Cinema (REF *PN1993.5.A35R87 1998)*
• Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film (REF PN 1993.5 A65 C66 2001)
• Encyclopedia of Chinese Film (REF PN 1993.5 C4 Z53 1998)
• Guide to the Cinema of Spain (REF PN 1993.5 S7 D68 1987)

• Film Review Index, Vol.1: 1882-1949; Vol.2: 1950-1985 (REF PN1995.F513 1986).
  • Features over 7,000 English language motion pictures; includes foreign films released and reviewed in this country. Arrangement is alphabetical by title of film, with information on the director, year of production, country where produced and a list of reviews of the film.
• Magill's Survey of Cinema: English Language Films 1st & 2nd series (REF PN1995.M3).
  • A survey of over 1200 movies, from the Jazz Singer to Kramer vs. Kramer. Each entry features a long extended essay with plot summary and critical examination of the contribution of the director, actors, cinematographers, etc.
• Retrospective Index to Film Periodicals, 1930-1971 (REF Z5784.M9B39).
• Selected Film Criticism (REF PN1995.S426 1982).
  • Vol. 1 - 5 presents reprints of reviews of American films for the years 1896 to 1950. Vol. 6 - 7 includes reprints of reviews of foreign films for the years 1930 to 1960.
• See also Scholarly Journals

• New York Times Index
• Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature
• FIAF International Film Archive Database
• Film Literature Index, 1976-2001
• Film & Television Literature Index

Types of Articles

First, you need to know what kind of articles your instructor wants you to use in your paper.  There are two general types of articles:  those that come from general readership magazines such as Time, or Newsweek or those that come from research journals or scholarly journals such as Artforum International.   For complete information on how to recognize a scholarly journal, please go to “Types of Periodicals” on the Paul Robeson Library Web Site ( http://www.libraries.rutgers.eduinstruction/typesof.html)          

Using an Index for Popular Articles

Now that you know what you are looking for you will need to use an index to find the article. Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) is a good starting place. This database is available on-line and has full-text of the articles from both general readership magazines and scholarly journals.  Search Tip: In order to find journal articles quickly, use the Guided Search instead of the default, Simple Search, and check off the boxes for "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed)" journals and "Full Text."

Scholarly Journals

At some point, you will need to use the more specialized, scholarly indexes.  A list of these indexes for Literature along with descriptions can be found at the Rutgers University Libraries Index Page (http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/indexes/arts_hum/arts_hum.shtml#lang.)           

The scholarly indexes may give you citations to articles as your search result.  A citation is not the complete article but it gives you enough information to locate the article in our library system.   The best indexes to use
for film studies are:

• MLA International Bibliography
• Literature Resources Center (includes some full-text resources)
• Humanities Abstracts
• America:  History & Life
• Art Index
• Sociofile          

How to locate the periodical using a citation:

• Use the Journal name to search in the Catalog (IRIS)     
• When you enter the search term, click on “Periodical Title” as your “Search Type.”
• The catalog will tell you if the periodical is at the same library as you, at a different Rutgers Library, not owned by Rutgers at all, or available on-line.
• Make sure that the search results match the date of the article you are trying to locate.
• If the periodical is available on-line, the catalog will display a link to use.
• If the periodical is available at a different Rutgers Library than you are at you can click on “Request This Item’ to order it.
• If Rutgers does not own the periodical at all, you can request the article through Interlibrary Loan.
• If you get confused, contact a Reference Librarian.          

• The Film Studies Department at Rutgers Camden
  Both News Brunswick/Piscataway and Newark offer film courses in their English departments.

• On-line Encyclopedia
• On-line Dictionaries and Thesauri
• IRIS – the Rutgers University Libraries Catalog
• How to Cite Sources That You Use
• Internet Movie Database
• Early American Film in the Library of Congress American Memory Project
• BUBL:  Film Studies