Chenyang Zhang | Searching for Accessibility and Inclusivity: An Archaeology of Film Cataloging Infrastructures from Cards to Databases

This research critically examines the historical shift in film cataloging infrastructures1 from analog to digital within film heritage institutions (FHIs). Despite often being viewed as “repetitive” and “tedious,” cataloging forms the foundation of archiving as it creates access points into the collections and enables physical and intellectual control over them. The fact that digital media are harder to retrieve without proper registration makes cataloging even more crucial today. Confronting the increasingly extensive and diverse cinematic materials and metadata, FHIs have long grappled with standardizing and adapting their cataloging systems amid evolving media culture. Meanwhile, the recent trend in decolonizing archives3 urges FHIs to enhance catalog inclusivity. To develop a critical reflection on these challenges and the role of cataloging infrastructures in shaping global film heritage, a review of the forgotten history of film cataloging is urgently needed.

Framing cataloging systems as infrastructural media, this project emphasizing their essential yet unnoticed role in film archival practice. It employs an archaeological approach to trace the transformation of cataloging infrastructures from cards to computer systems and digital databases. Through a global comparative analysis, the research positions this transition in social contexts and addresses the interconnected accessibility and diversity issues in collection management. Meanwhile, it also investigates subtle shifts in archivists’ techniques that are closely related to the digital transition of infrastructures. Utilizing archival research and interviews in case studies, this research aims to contribute to theoretical discourse on film heritage construction through cataloging, and provide insights for more accessible and inclusive cataloging systems.