On deadline with new issue so I haven't had time to fully explore this, but my quick thought is that this-like the earlier Fox flap-is a thin-edge-of-the-wedge deal.
Since the dawn of home video, studios have tried to circumnavigate the First Sale Doctrine for one simple reason: they only want a dollar on the dollar, which means trying any route that gets closer to direct-to-consumer sales and eliminates middlepersons. Many public libraries serve an increasingly larger economically disadvantaged constituency, who will be unfairly penalized by Warner's decision because they can't afford to plunk down $26.98 for the new Harry Potter (or the ten bucks to see it in theaters). Both public libraries and academic libraries also serve a large student/researcher populace who will be denied access to all of the bonus features on the retail editions. Warner's McCarthyist threat to audit large retailers sounds ludicrous. This isn't opium (omg, someone's trying to place an order for 10 copies of "Crazy, Stupid Love." Alert the authorities), and I can't imagine too many entry-level clerks engaging in knock-down arguments with customers who've decided to give everyone on their Christmas lists the new Harry Potter DVD (sorry, sir, you're going to have to put six of those copies back on the shelf). I understand the Redbox/Netflix threat and the desire to maintain windows, but Warner is creating a bulky bureaucratic restriction (that some libraries will nevertheless circumnavigate) in the unrealistic belief that in a down economy masses of people are going to buy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" on street date rather than wait four weeks while they're doing more productive things.like looking for jobs. Best, Randy Randy Pitman Publisher/Editor Video Librarian 8705 Honeycomb Ct. NW Seabeck, WA 98380 Tel: (800) 692-2270; Fax: (360) 830-9346 Email: [email protected] Web: www.videolibrarian.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jessica Rosner" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 11:27 AM Subject: Re: [Videolib] Warner policy change > While I agree it is bad policy I think you are reading more into it. > Studios have become obsessed with the 28 Day window as a way of > controlling product Vs Netflix, Red Box, Amazon streaming etc. I think > when they say something like available exclusively from X on demand > system, they need it to be true. I am sure from their point of view > having libraries wait 28 days and giving them an extra discount seemed > reasonable even if misguided. It is hard for me to be that hostile to > the studio that has made far more of its collection available then all > other studios combined. I think a lot of the WB people are very > library friendly, but they are actually terrified of the future re > streaming etc and how to make it work for them. > > On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 2:10 PM, Mary Hanlin <[email protected]> wrote: >> Policies like this really bother me. >> >> First, it is easier for many libraries to purchase a feature film from >> Midwest than something like Amazon. In Virginia, for example, we have a >> very restricted state procurement system which very much expects us to >> buy from contract vendors (Midwest being one). In my individual >> situation, if the content is not "sole source," it really is much harder >> for me to buy content from other sources than Midwest. >> >> Second, perhaps more importantly, I resent a reasonably large company >> essentially trying to license material that should fall under the rights >> and responsibilities of copyrighted content. Warner Brothers is not the >> ordinary academic distributor: they are not going to "make or break" on >> the first sale privileges that libraries exist upon and holding a film >> for 28 days is not going to make the person who depends upon the library >> go to Blockbuster or Redbox. What I think decisions like Warner Brothers >> imply is that they don't want the library of the future (or perhaps even >> a current library) to loan feature film content. What is going to happen >> when we really cannot count on copyright anymore, when all of our media >> is licensed, when all of films are streamed? I am really afraid that >> libraries are become second class citizens of content delivery: we won't >> choose the content, the content/the distributor, will choose to choose >> us. >> >> Anyway... I'm writing Warner Brothers a letter, regardless of whether it >> makes a difference or not. >> >> Mary. >> >> PS: I'm really not this brooding in real life. >> >> Mary Hanlin >> Media Collection Development Librarian >> Tidewater Community College, Portsmouth >> 120 Campus Drive, >> Portsmouth, Virginia 23701 >> P: 757-822-2133 >> F: 757-822-2149 >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ledbetter, >> Terri >> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 1:32 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [Videolib] Warner policy change >> >> I truly do hope they will reconsider this. As a public library, our >> customers count on us to have the newest releases on time. Sometimes they >> even ask for them when they're still in theaters... >> >> >> >> Terri Beth Ledbetter >> >> Hartford Public Library >> >> 500 Main Street >> >> Hartford, CT 06103 >> >> 860-695-6370 >> >> 860-722-6870 (fax) >> >> >> >> >> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message, including any attachments, is >> for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain >> confidential and privileged information or otherwise be protected by law. >> Any access, use, disclosure or distribution of this email message by >> anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is unauthorized and >> prohibited. If you are not an intended recipient (or an agent acting on >> an intended recipient's behalf), please contact the sender by reply email >> and immediately destroy all copies of the original message. Virus >> scanning is recommended on all email attachments. >> >> 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. >> > > > > -- > Jessica Rosner > Media Consultant > 224-545-3897 (cell) > 212-627-1785 (land line) > [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. 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.
