Dear Colleagues, I would appreciate if anyone could send me sample policies or collection development excerpts which deal specifically with:
1. Responding to purchases for single titles from one faculty member over $xxx amount (what amount?? 2. Requests for titles that are part of a one-time series (Humanities Dept., Language, special symposium, etc.) How many titles, what amount?? 3. Policies that covers whose responsibility it is to obtain and pay for public performance rights For example, I recently had a request from one faculty member who wanted the library to purchase a DVD for $650 because she was inviting the filmmaker to her class and wanted to show his film. She was not opening this up to a wider audience. Rental was about $395. The dept. had no funds to kick in. The library will not cover either cost. I had to say no. The distributor would not negotiate. There have been several requests for film series, more than 6 titles. Neither dept. was willing to kick in funds. We do not have one media budget—selectors order films from their subject areas, along with books. Our budget have been drastically cut due to the current climate, increase of e-materials and other steadily climbing resources. Oftentimes, I will reach out to other librarians to share in the cost of one title, but sometimes I get no feedback. Without a policy, librarians are having a difficult time deciding where to draw the line. I hate to arbitrarily decide on a price, particularly if the film is outstanding, is interdisciplinary. and comes bundled with PPR, so I thought I would ask you what you are doing. How do you negotiate, say that depts. must kick in ---&age for special events, expensive titles. I have been a media librarian for 100 years, and lately I have felt guilty saying no. The reality is just getting harder. Debra Debra H. Mandel, Head, Digital Media Design Studio Northeastern University Libraries 360 Huntington Ave. 200 SL Boston, MA 02115 617-373-4902; 617-373-5409-Fax
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.
