From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 9:56 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Videolib] A Distributor's Response
While librarians face shrinking budgets for films (something said before around the time 16mm vanished), many of us filmmakers and distributors face shrinking budgets from already ridiculously shrunken levels. One thing has been a constant for me: Publicity is more expensive than making a documentary. My suggestion is that librarians and customers - routinely and creatively pitch-in by creating word of mouth advertisement that extends way beyond the typical library circuit and into your own personal worlds. Help broaden our audiences and watch prices fall. I agree with you, Richard, and for what it's worth, some of us do work hard to promote documentaries! :) * I keep an ongoing display in our video area of new and/or outstanding films, and I always feature documentaries as well as feature films. * I have done a display of ALA Notable Films which we own. * I hosted a screening of INOCENTE the week before the Oscars, so that members of our community had the chance to see an Oscar-nominated short (and a winner, now). * I put up a monthly themed display, for which I often include relevant documentaries, not just features (so the "Horror Films" display included Nightmares in Red, White and Blue and American Nightmare). * I have a facebook page for our library's film collection [ http://www.facebook.com/wabashcollegelibrary.films ], through which I profile individual documentaries, promote film screenings, announce trivia contests, etc. * Today our Environmental Concerns Committee and Students for Sustainability groups are screening Green Planet's FOR THE PRICE OF A CUP OF COFFEE and giving away (awesome, if I do say so myself) reusable travel coffee mugs imprinted with our college mascot and a recycling motto. These are small efforts, and so people might scoff at them. But I'm sure many on Videolib do similar things and host many more events. When they do, I think word does get around. Susan Albrecht
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.
