Recording collection videos

We are providing staff with the opportunity to book a session to record short videos featuring collection items for use in teaching.

This webpage explains how to book a session and the support we can provide.

• Advanced booking only
• Available: from mid-August
• Location: University of Reading Special Collections/The Museum of English Rural Life

Recording will be made with a HD camera with a microphone attached, operated by a member of collections staff.

These videos offer you the ability to demonstrate collections to your students and explain features of items that are hard to communicate in 2D. They offer the chance to supplement digital facsimilies of collections needed for sessions and offer the chance to break up a session with a variety of content and activities.

These videos are designed to be included in live sessions and could also be embedded part of PowerPoint presentations. These recording sessions are for capturing just the video element of your collections teaching.

What do I need to bring?

Please bring any notes you need for the videos. We will have the equipment and the collections you have requested at the time of booking ready for the session.

What do I need to do before arrival?

Once you have booked a recording session [see below] and have had confirmation from the collections team that it can go ahead, think about what it is you want to communicate in the video(s). We suggest preparing your script, perhaps in bullet points, so that you are ready to be filmed. Think about where this video will sit within your teaching session and keep it simple, perhaps keeping each video to just one theme or set of items.

A member of staff will meet you at the entrance and let you in at an agreed time.

What assistance can you offer?

We will operate the camera and sound equipment. Once you are happy that you have completed your videos, we will upload them to Microsoft Stream where you can access and share them with students on your module(s).

How do I book a session?

You can book a recording session by email:
• University of Reading Special Collections: specialcollections@reading.ac.uk
• The MERL: merl@reading.ac.uk
• Art Collections: artcollection@reading.ac.uk

Please detail the collection material you would like to feature and book as far in advance as possible to enable us to prepare equipment, the room, and collections.

Health and safety

You are reminded that whilst on campus it is essential that you adhere to the Health and Safety guidance for the building.

• Please remain at least two meters from colleagues at all times, including the person recording the videos, and other members of staff on site for other purposes.
• Please wash your hands regularly with soap and water, particularly before and after using the room – alcoholic hand gel should not be used to wash hands before handling collections as this can damage them.
• Collection items will be produced and taken away by a member of staff wearing gloves – you will be the only person to handle them without PPE.
• Collections will not be handled without gloves 72 hours before and after the recording session.