I would first ask how obsolescence is being defined. Does it still work? Is the content and the performance still relevant/applicable? It's safe to say that VHS is no longer the market standard (duh), but there are titles on VHS that never were (and, in the case of Kevin Brownlow's *Hollywood*:* A Celebration of the American Silent Film* never could be because of copyright) transferred to DVD. And then there are the nuances of the VHS "version"- not all titles across different formats are created equal. The current DVD of *The Grinch Who Stole Christmas* has been remastered with a totally different color palette and Disney on digital formats is practically a different species from the straight film-->tape transfers they did for VHS release (artist's sketch lines on the original cell animation have been digitally removed). Format does not define quality and merit and I still rely on VHS in the classroom [at Pratt]. So as long as we need and desire to access the content (and, for some, the experience) of VHS, the equipment will never become obsolete.
Elena Rossi-Snook Archivist Reserve Film and Video Collection The New York Public Library On Tue, Dec 9, 2014 at 11:23 AM, Laura Jenemann <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Videolib, > > > > I would like to revisit a discussion that recurs on this list regarding > obsolescence of VHS equipment. > > > > Is VHS equipment obsolete? > > > > Guideline 2 of the *Video at Risk > <http://www.nyu.edu/tisch/preservation/research/video-risk/VideoAtRisk_SECTION108_Guidelines_2013.pdf>* > report (p.8) discusses this, but I would appreciate additional feedback. > > > > Thank you very much. > > > > Regards, > > Laura > > > > Laura Jenemann > > Film Studies/Media Services Librarian > > George Mason University > > 703-993-7593 > > [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.
