Benjamin Turner wrote:
Dear Colleagues,
Our library is in the process of reviewing its policy for its video
collection. We are interested in finding out how other academic
libraries are dealing with this rapidly-changing area.
Specifically, I am interested in the following:
* Does your library still order DVD's primarily, or have you
switched to online collections?
We order almost exclusively DVDs. VHS tapes are only
ordered in those very rare
circumstances in which a faculty member wants to show a
particular film
(usually a documentary from the 1980's) that has never been
released on DVD.
We have invested in several Alexander Street Press
streaming products --including
Theatre in Video, Opera in Video, etc. At this point,
however, we are not particularly
interested in acquiring individual films on a streaming
basis. The major objection to doing so
is the inability to acquire permanent rights for such
streamed films.
* Have you increased, decreased, or held steady your expenditures
on videos?
Here at the USC Leavey Library we have been most
fortunate to be alloted
a steady $35,000 for annual video purchases. (Money
needed for purchasing
films needed for reserve comes out of a separate fund.
Libraries on campus that
maintain their own DVD collections--e.g., the Cinematic
Arts Library, the Music Library--
are also separately funded.) In addition, each year the
library administration often awards
special funds for the Leavey Library to purchase special
film collections. This last spring
I was given $15,000 to acquire the complete
documentaries of Joseph Wiseman. Not bad
at all!
* Have you used any unorthodox methods for delivering video
content to your users, such as Netflix?
Nope!
Cheers!
Anthony
*******************************
Anthony E. Anderson
Social Studies and Arts & Humanities Librarian
Von KleinSmid Library
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0182
(213) 740-1190 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
"Wind, regen, zon, of kou,
Albert Cuyp ik hou van jou."
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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.
