Question: I am recent college graduate and worked as a library assistant during college. I recently moved to Los Angeles and am interested in working in a film library. Can you give me some information about film library positions?
— Zena

Response: Film library archiving positions include catalogers who input data into a reference database, researchers who probe footage and photos, and footage librarians who generally manage video tapes in a library. Footage Librarians may also research and catalog film archives, depending on employer. An additional position can include film preservationist.

The job of a film archivist is highly specialized and is relatively new to the world of archiving. Like a librarian, the film archivist collects, preserves and makes films accessible for research and for use by others generally through a licensing arrangement for the use of film "clips" or footage.

Organizations such as broadcast stations, large film studios, entertainment production houses as well as universities with film departments have film libraries with footage that needs to be "digitally" cataloged, preserved, and sometimes restored.

Training Option
Some companies provide in-house training for entry-level film archivists. However, if you want to reach higher level positions, you might consider graduate level training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), which is one of the few schools in the country that offers a graduate degree program in film archive.
UCLA
Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
102 GSEIS Building
Los Angeles, CA
(310) 206-4966
www.mias.ucla.edu
Contact: Lynn Boyden, Program Coordinator
The school offers a two-year, 72-unit graduate degree program in moving image archive studies. One course, Moving Image Cataloging, instructs on the differences between descriptive cataloging of moving-image and print-oriented cataloging. Another, Moving Image Preservation/Restoration, instructs on the principal methods and practices of film and video preservation and restoration.

The program also includes internships with local organizations including studios, television networks, digital post-production houses and other regional archive organizations.

Admission requirements include completion of a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0, three letters of recommendation, and the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The program can only be completed on a full-time basis and the school only offers fall admission. Graduate tuition is approximately $1,500 per quarter.

Income
A small film library representative tells me entry-level film archive staff earn from approximately $28,000 to $35,000 annually. A local university film library pays entry-level film archive staff approximately $35,000 per year.

Employment Outlook
While the job of a film archivist is new to the archiving field, there has been a surge of interest in creating educational programs in order to have trained professionals in the field.

Professional Associations
Association of Moving Image Archivists
1313 N. Vine St.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 463-1500
Fax (323) 463-1506
www.amianet.org
This is the largest non-profit professional membership association for individuals and institutions concerned with the preservation of moving images. Membership benefits include industry updates through publications including the journal, The Moving Image, networking opportunities at association meetings and events, and scholarship programs. Annual individual membership dues are $75.
Society of American Archivists
527 S. Wells St., 5th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 922-0140
Fax (312) 347-1452
www.archivists.org
Los Angeles Student Chapter
UCLA
Department of Library and Information Science
Room 212 - GSE&IS
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 206-9393
Fax (310) 206-4460
polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/saa/saa.html
Contact: Anne Gilliland-Swetland
E-mail: swetland@ucla.edu
This is a society of archivist professionals. Membership benefits include networking opportunities through an online membership directory and at student chapters, industry updates through publications such as the journal, Society of American Archivist, continuing education programs such as the upcoming June 7, 2004 seminar on copyright law to be held in Los Angeles. Annual student membership dues are $40.

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Susan W. Miller, M.A., is a National Certified Career Counselor, a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist and holds diplomate status on the American Board of Vocational Experts. She heads California Career Services, a private practice career counseling firm in Los Angeles.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.