Make up a big number. It's not the real issue. The real arguments that need to be made are that: Many of the titles being used on VHS tape aren't available on DVD, period. It's hard to guess how many VHS tapes are being used in the classroom that come from personal and/or departmental collections, but argue that it's at least as many tapes as are checked out from the library collection.
Yes, stockpile some combo players. Yes, stir things up with the faculty - they need to complain to the IT folks who are making this decision. Replacing the high use titles is simple (either through purchase or section 108 procedures). But how much time and money do you put into the tapes that have a handful of circs -- not superstars, but were useful to someone? Been there, Barb Bergman | Media Services & Interlibrary Loan Librarian | Minnesota State University, Mankato | (507) 389-5945 | barbara.berg...@mnsu.edu -----Original Message----- From: videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu [mailto:videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of Maloy, Vicky Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 4:41 PM To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Subject: [Videolib] The case of the disappearing VHS players Oh help! Help, help, help! I have just attended a meeting at which it was mentioned in an off-handed remark that every VHS player in our campus classrooms will be removed over the summer. When I objected, and asked if there was any money being set aside to pay for the copyright permissions to convert our library's holdings, the VP of Finance said, "Why don't you give me a number." SO. Is there such a thing as a blanket license to convert commercially made VHS tapes to DVD for a non-profit institutional use? (Don't laugh at me, I just have to ask.) Does anyone have experience they can share with me - off list, if you prefer - in stopping/surviving this madness, or shall I just scavenge all the players I can find and store them in the library for the foreseeable future? I've searched the list archives, but the "digitizing - procedural question" thread, while helpful, doesn't say where to start securing permission or with whom, for a conversion. Thanks for your time and knowledge, Vicky 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. 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.
