Audio-Visual Materials

Audio-visual materials are located on the 3rd floor in Reserves and Media. These include videotapes, DVDs, and spoken word and music CDs. They are not browsable on the open shelves, so you will need to be able to give the person at the desk the title and call number of the item that you want. Do this by searching the library catalog. You can use the Advanced Search feature to accurately limit your search to the type of material and language you want. Here are some examples:

DVDs

If you want to see the list of Chinese feature films we have in the library:

Genre=Feature Films

Language=Chinese Format=DVD Location=UM Reserves,Media, Microfilms

If you want to see the list of Japanese samurai films we have in the library:

Subject=Samurai

Language=Japanese Format=DVD Location=UM Reserves,Media, Microfilms

You can add more search terms to find more specific content. Here is a search for documentaries about China:

Subject keywords=China

Genre=Document* (* is a wild card to pick up documentary films, documentary television program, etc.)

Format=DVDs, Videos, Films, and slides

Location=UM Reserves,Media, Microfilms

Once you have found something that you want to watch, click on the link for call number and availability.

Region Codes

Before you borrow DVDs, it is important that you understand what region codes are and how they work. DVDs produced in North America are encoded as Region 1, Japan is Region 2, and Hong Kong is Region 3, China is Region 6. Some discs have a Region 0, which means that they can be played on any kind of DVD player.

DVD players you buy in the United States are normally Region 1. This means that you cannot play DVDs from Japan or China on these machines. The library has a few multi-region DVD players so that we can play the DVDs that we buy from overseas, which are not available in North America.

If you use your computer to watch DVDs, please be aware that the same region code issue exists. Your computer will allow you to change the region code 4 times before it locks into that code. See the wikipedia article for more details.

Spoken Word CDs

You can leave the search terms blank if you want and just use the limitations to see the full list of sound recordings.

Language=Japanese Format=Spoken Word Location=UM Reserves,Media, Microfilms

You can add in search terms if you want something more specific. Here is a search for sound recordings of Japanese poetry:

Keyword=Poetry

Language=Japanese Format=Spoken Word Location=UM Reserves,Media, Microfilms

Last Edited: 23 February 2012