SOAS Library
  • Context
  • Collection
  • Coverage
  • E-Resources
  • Future

Context

1. The Centre for Media and Film Studies

The Centre for Media and Film Studies is one of the very few centres in the world which specialises in the vital developments taking place in media, communications and film globally, especially with regards to the non-Western world.

The Centre collaborates with other colleges in the University of London, providing unparalleled depth and breadth of expertise in media and film. The Centre is also a member of the University of London Screen Studies group, which hosts regular international symposia and has its own postgraduate training programme.

The Centre offers MA and PhD programmes.

The Centre has 4 FTE academic staff, 52.9 FTE students, including 39.4 taught postgraduates and 13.5 research students.

For more information see:

Collection

2. History

  • The library has actively built up collections relating to Media and Film from Africa, Asia and the Middle East
  • The subjects cross over into regions and country specific research including multi-disciplinary and Diaspora Studies
  • The Library has supported course reading lists and selectively purchased material and is particularly concerned with theory and practice for teaching purposes

4. Languages

The Library collects material in:

  • Some European languages, especially English, for general, cross-regional or global use as well as for the language disciplines
  • Languages of Asia, Africa and the Middle East for regional publications

For more details see General Collection Development Policy

5. Classification

The printed collection on general, cross-regional Media and Film Studies are classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification (prefixed "A").

All books are prefixed using the following:

  • All main books are prefixed “A”
  • Large books are prefixed "LA"
  • Reference books are prefixed “Ref A”
  • Large reference books are prefixed “L Ref A”
  • For material relating to specific regions see the individual country class marks

The Audio-Visual collection is classified using an in-house classification scheme. Main collections are prefixed using the following:

  • MDVD - DVD
  • MH - Video cassette
  • MI - Film reel

7. Formats

The Library has built up the collection in a variety of formats: books, periodicals and Audio-Visual material. The Audio-visual collection consists of DVD, VHS and Film reel.

Coverage

Within the School, the Library supports the teaching and research needs of :
Teaching

The collection aims to collect materials to a teaching level for all courses taught within the Centre for Media and Film Studies and Regional and Departmental Centres.

Research

The collection aims to collect material to a research level for all the subject areas detailed in section 8 below :

8. Detailed Structure

The main thematic/regional subject areas of collecting for the Centre of Media and Film Studies are detailed below (based on the Conspectus Level). For details on the Conspectus Level see Collection Development Policy

8.1 Africa
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)
  • Mass media and communication
    • Print media
    • Television studies
    • Radio
    • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Global media
  • Film theory
  • Cinema
  • Stage theatre
  • Dance
8.2 America
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)
  • Mass media and communication
    • Print media
    • Television studies
    • Radio
  • Cinema
8.3 China, Japan and Korea
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)
  • Mass media and communication
    • Print media
    • Television studies
    • Radio
    • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Global media
  • Film theory
  • Cinema
  • Animation [focus on Japan]
  • Stage theatre [focus on China]
8.4 Middle East
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)
  • Mass media and communication
    • Print media
    • Television studies
    • Radio
    • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Global media
  • Cinema
8.5 South Asia [focus on India]
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)
  • Mass media and communication
    • Print media
    • Television studies
    • Radio
    • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Global media
  • Film theory
  • Cinema
8.6 South East Asia [focus on Indonesia and Thailand]
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)
  • Mass media and communication
    • Print media
    • Television studies
    • Radio
    • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Digital culture and development of technology
  • Global media
  • Film theory
  • Cinema, motion pictures
  • Stage theatre
  • Dance
8.7 Thematic/ Non-regional
  • Journalism
  • Sociology of Journalism (with cultural and political aspects)

For details on the following subject areas see the relevant Subject Statements:

E-Resources

9. Major Databases

General Databases
  • Access World News
  • Communication and  Mass Media Complete
  • BBC Monitoring Library
  • 19th Century British Library Newspapers
  • Radio at BUVFC
  • TRILT: the Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching
  • EBSCOhost
  • Mideastwire
  • SAGE Journals Online
  • ISI Web of Knowledge
Non-English Database
  • Chosun Ilbo Archive 조선일보 아카이브
  • Yomidasu Rekishikan  ヨミダス歴史館
  • Renmin ribao 人民日报

10. Online Subject Guide

For more information and online resources see the Subject Guide for Media and Films Studies

For regional specific databases, see Subject Statements

For other databases SOAS subscribes to see, A-Z databases list

Future

11. Trends for the Future

Move towards more online full-text resources where possible and appropriate.

  • As the national collection for Asian, African and Middle Eastern studies the Library seeks to retain one print copy of selected scholarly titles and also, where available, provide electronic access to these materials (e-journals, databases, e-books &c.)
  • For subjects of a theoretical, general or non-regional nature the electronic version (e-journals, databases, e-books &c.) is favoured