Hi Beth - We're converting obsolete older media (U-Matic, Betamax, SVHS) under 108c, but only after an extensive search to make sure they're not available for sale (including contacting publishers etc).
Across-the-board conversion of an entire VHS collection to DVD is very problematic because of copyright law. Emily Albarillo Digital Media Specialist Sinclair Library University of Hawaii at Manoa Beth Traylor wrote: > Hello All, > > We just found out through an article published in our campus paper that > our campus equipment unit will no longer be supporting VHS in the > classrooms because it is too hard to fix the VHS decks and because "DVD > equipment is easier to use than tape decks; DVDs are more portable; they > are more reliable etc.". > > They also advertised in that same article that they will convert all VHS > tapes that faculty use to DVD. > They never mentioned anything about copyright - just that "because its > for educational use then its ok to do the conversion (for a price)." As > far as I can tell they never talked to campus legal either. > > Needless to say we were surprised (we have over 5000 VHS tapes in our > Media collection). > > Has any other Media unit dealt with this? I seem to remember this > thread but could not find it in the archives. > > Any help would be appreciated. Please feel free to contact me off the > list too if you would like. > > > Beth Traylor > Media Librarian > UW-Milwaukee > > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues > relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, > preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and > related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective > working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication > between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and > distributors. > -- Emily E. Albarillo Digital Media Specialist Sinclair Library University of Hawai'i at Manoa VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
