the catch 22 is that when institutions make copies of out of print VHS titles it makes it that much harder for rights holder to justify the enormous cost of putting smaller titles out in digital format. In theory libraries say they will be only to glad to upgrade to a legal copy if one is released but in reality rights holders can't count on that. Ironically I think this is pushing some rights holders to have titles only available via stream or download which libraries hate.
Also the law is VERY clear that if you make copies they may not ever be "checked out" for home use and there is an intense debate ( focusing on the definition of "premise") if they may in fact ever leave the library to be used in a classroom. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 2:39 PM, Brown, Karen E <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you, Jessica. I suppose we can also make a case based on age and > use that items in our collection are deteriorating. Our problem is that > most of our patrons don’t have a VHS player at home; there are none in our > classrooms. The material, as a result, is not being used. Those that are > consist of off-beat titles that aren’t the major candidates for publishers > to migrate forward to a more popular media. These, and the so-called > “orphan works”, will be our biggest challenge in clearing permissions to > reformat. > > > > Best, Karen > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Jessica Rosner > *Sent:* Thursday, July 24, 2014 2:31 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [Videolib] Copyright searches for videotape > > > > Well at the risk of being jumped on VHS does not fit the copyright code > definition of an obsolete format so unless you document that every VHS you > are weeding is literally in the process of deteriorating not just a pain in > the neck to use the law does not let you make digital copies. I have VHS > copies that are 30 years old and just fine and would a lot worse if I > transferred them to digital format. > > > > On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 12:37 PM, Brown, Karen E <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Dear colleagues: > > The University at Albany, SUNY, is in the process of weeding VHS materials > held in our general collection, all of which was commercially produced. > Regarding those titles for which a more current format is not available we > will need to obtain copyright clearance before we consider reformatting. > > We are wondering if there are other educational institutions that have > worked through a project such as this that have “video copyright searching” > documentation tools or data that they would be willing to share to assist > us. > > Thank you in advance for your input and advice. > > Best, > > Karen E.K. Brown > > Head, Preservation Department > > University at Albany Libraries > > 1400 Washington Ave, Room SL 310 > > Albany, NY 12222 > > Tel. (518) 437 3923 > > > > > > > > > > > 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. > >
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.
