I bought 51 Blu-rays back in March, in part because I'd gotten several requests to purchase some, in part because I wanted to conduct a small trial. Part of the way I justified trying out Blu-ray was that I bought also bought regular DVDs of anything that I bought in Blu-ray. So if a student said, "No fair, I don't have Blu-ray," we could say, "We have the film in regular DVD format."
Though our Blu-rays circulate, they don't circulate extremely well and the circs don't appear to be growing. One Avatar, for example, circulated 21 times in regular DVD format. So far, it's circulated 5 times in Blu-ray. For some of the older films, the circs are a bit more even: Raging Bull, in Blu-ray, has circulated twice since March. In regular format, it has circulated four times. On the flip side, I have gotten some anecdotal feedback from students who think it's "cool" to offer Blu-ray, and we've ILL'd more of the Blu-ray than we have the DVD counterpart. Like many, I think the data show that access often trumps quality. I don't really feel sorry about getting Blu-ray though, because it's not really an access versus quality paradigm. To me, it's a now versus --maybe if we're lucky-- ten years from now paradigm. Of course any library that could (legally) purchase Avatar online and offer it to its patrons, would do so. But why do we keep comparing something like Oliver Stone's Malcolm X with an online PBS Malcolm X? So, Blu-ray may not be about fulfilling the best option, as much as it is about listening to patron input, and determining if it can serve as a small part of the option. I think that each library needs to think about Blu-ray on its own terms. Mary. Mary Hanlin Media Collection Development Librarian Tidewater Community College P: 757.822.2133 F: 757.822.2149 [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael May Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 1:06 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Videolib] Blu-Ray in libraries I've been buying Blu-rays for my medium-sized public library for almost two years, and they circulate well. We have one Blu-ray viewing station, too. Rather than replacing DVDs, the Blu-rays compliment or supplement our DVDs. Generally I buy Blu-rays when we have 15 or more patron requests for titles on DVD, usually the newest box-office hits, about 5 to 10 Blu-rays per month. If I had more money, I'd buy older, better reviewed releases on Blu-ray, but patron demand and title availability for DVDs far outweigh Blu-rays. Mike Michael May Adult Services Librarian Carnegie-Stout Public Library 360 West 11th Street Dubuque, IA 52001-4697, USA Phone: 563-589-4225 ext. 2244 Fax: 563-589-4217 Email: [email protected] ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] On Behalf Of Pamela Bristah [[email protected]] Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 10:18 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Videolib] Blu-Ray in libraries A perennial question, but a good one to revisit to from time to time: Are you purchasing Blu-Ray titles for your library, or are you holding off? (I'm especially interested in hearing from college and university libraries, since we're in the same boat.) If you're purchasing, what criteria do you use? Do you re-purchase titles you have on DVD, or only new titles? Having just about completed switching the collection from VHS to DVD, the thought of moving next to Blu-Ray makes me want to lie down and go to sleep, for about 45 years. And, the cost would be prohibitive. Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if libraries could go straight from DVD to streaming video, at Blu-Ray image quality? For feature films, not just educational and documentary titles? Oh well, a girl can dream. ______________ Pamela Bristah, Collections Librarian, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley MA 02481 phone 781-283-2076, fax 781-283-2869, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> 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. 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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.
