Message-Id: <mailto:199604071907.OAA24191@library.wustl.edu> Date: Sun, 7 Apr 1996 15:02:51 -0400 From: "Robert A. Baron" <mailto:rabaron@PIPELINE.COM> Subject: Re: Numbering of negative strips To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
On Apr 03, 1996 14:31:00, '"START, Rodney" <mailto:RSTART@MOV.VIC.GOV.AU>' wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: IMAGELIB <mailto:IMAGELIB@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
>Poster: "START, Rodney" <mailto:RSTART@MOV.VIC.GOV.AU>
>Subject: Numbering of negative strips
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>We are about to begin to database and image capture our backlog of 20
years >worth of negatives. We have a problem that the images in our Photographic
>Dept. have no numbering sequence what so ever. A large proportion of our
>images are strips of 35mm and 6x7cm negatives. Does anyone have a good
>system of numbering strips of images?
>
>We have come up with two ideas for numbering negative strips. Our first
>idea is to number each frame that we capture with a sequential number, we
do >not plan to capture every image on the strip. Our second idea was to use
a >location number for each image, ie the number of the sheet followed by the
>strip number followed by the frame position number. The number may look
>like this for example 230/4/3. Each sheet would be numbered, then each
>strip would be uniquely numbered sequentially on the bags with the same
>number stuck or written onto the edge of the strip, and the frame position
>number would go from left to right.
>
>I look forward to hearing your responses.
I have been collecting 35mm negatives in strips for a number of years and have developed what I consider to be a fairly simple and obvious system for identifying them. I think my system is similar to one of your options.
I don't collect negatives in pages, rather, I file them in strips. Each strip of six negatives is numbered sequentially and so identified on the outside sleeve of the negative. Because I control all the negatives, I have not written the number on the negative itself, but in an institutional setting that should be done. I believe there are special pens that can be used for this purpose.
I don't recommend making a page identifier part of the numbering system. The page number will be valuable to record, but is redundant and may not be
permanent. I've seen negative collections that have been disassembled, page number and frame number by themselves were not enough information to reconstruct the identifying system. Here is an analogous example. Many years ago I was working in a French civic library that had been in existence from at least the 18th century. Originally the catalogue (actually a ledger) identified each volume by its armoire and shelf number.
In the nineteenth century someone took down the armoires and refiled the books on library shelves, but didn't record the new locations. The ledger with armoire and shelf numbers remains an interesting document, but it was almost impossible to locate any of its listed volumes.
If you have negatives in different formats, I'd suggest that each media or format be provided with its own numbering prefix or media identifier. Do not merge the numbering system for one size negative with those of another size.
Any single negative is known by a combination of the strip number and the frame number appearing on the negative itself. Most of mine have been wound from bulk film, so the numbering sequence goes from 1 through 44. Because any roll of film can start at any of these numbers, number 1 is not
necessarily the first exposure on the roll.
This numbering system (e.g. 5415/23) qualifies as a unique identifier for most computer databases.
The negatives themselves, and their sleeves are identified only by the above system, however the photo records contain information on the roll number, photograph date, place and subject matter information, plus equipment and photography dada.
I also keep a set of contact sheets filed sequentially. Each of these sheets is identified by roll number and by strip number written on the edge. Care is
taken to make at least one frame number visible on each contact strip.
Finally (and this last system may be attributed to the subject matter of my
photographs: Renaissance illustrated books), a second contact sheet is cut up into individual frames and recombined (stamp album style) in order to reconstruct the original work.
Robert A. Baron Museum Computer Consultant P.O. Box 93, Larchmont N.Y. 10538 mailto:rabaron@nyc.pipeline.com