Moving Image Collection

The VCR Moving Image Collection is comprised of over 41,000 titles dating from 1895 to the current year. As such, it reflects the historical introduction of new technologies for teaching and learning since 1968, retaining the older media formats as well as including later editions. The online catalogue provides access to over 21,000 titles on DVD, 3,100 on Blu-ray disc (including 3D and UHD 4K), as well as 4500 VHS tapes and 1200 laserdiscs.

In addition, VCR holds the Moving Image Collection’s 11,500 historically significant archival 16mm and 35mm films, which range from experimental, to instructional and industrial documentary films, and to world cinema. The highlights include the National Film Board of Canada’s lending library until 1990, the British Information Services collection of travelogues and documentaries from the 1960s and 1970s, the Shastri Collection of Indian documentary films, and a growing collection of student films from Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema.

Catalogue searching tips

What you need to know about searching the VCR Moving Image catalogue:

• The catalogue will not return any results if there is a misspelling in the query term(s)
• If the title of the item you are looking for begins with an article (“the,” “a,” “an,” “le,” “la,” etc.). DO NOT include that article in your search, or include it at the end, preceded by a comma e.g. for the film La Grande illusion, enter the query term “Grande illusion, La”, or broaden your search by only entering the keyword “illusion”
• When searching by director, please enter “last name, first name”, or simply enter last name e.g. For Alanis Obomsawin, enter the query terms “Obomsawin, Alanis" or simply “Obomsawin”
• To search for an actor or other person, enter the name in the “Synopsis contains” field. The name can be entered in the usual order (first name followed by last name). You can also search this field for specific keywords like “WWII”, or “New York”
• Make broader searches by entering fewer keywords and these will yield better results

Services

VCR staff maintain, preserve and provide access to moving image resources. Contact them for:

• Booking moving image material for courses
  
• Screening rooms bookings
  
• Reference and duplication services
• Outside researchers should contact pamela.caussy@concordia.ca regarding potential projects