Wow. Thanks to everyone for the great and interesting responses. I will read all the emails over again and try and digest it tonight and if I come up with something half way interesting I will give you some feedback tomorrow.
Thanks again! Jonathan From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Reynolds, Jo Ann Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2015 3:13 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Videolib] No more DVDs? For UConn also, the only equivalent of a DVD purchase is streaming video with perpetual rights, or at the very least, life of file format. Chris’ comments on how DVDs are used is classes is the same here. The cost of licensing a stream for short terms is just too prohibitive. It limits the amount of new material we can purchase to have to pay for the same material over and over again. We just don’t have the budget for it. Jo Ann Jo Ann Reynolds Reserve Services Coordinator University of Connecticut Homer Babbidge Library 369 Fairfield Road, Unit 1005RR Storrs, CT 06269-1005 860-486-1406 voice 860-486-0584 fax From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chris Lewis Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2015 12:08 PM To: Videolib Subject: Re: [Videolib] No more DVDs? For me, the only equivalent for a DVD purchase is a streaming video with in-perpetuity rights that we can host locally. We have many VHS tapes and DVDs from companies like Carousel, Films Inc., and LAVA that have gone out of business - but we can still use their titles because we own a tangible version. That wouldn't be the case if the only option was to license a streaming version hosted by the distributor. I understand that this is the direction the studios are headed because the average person has adapted to using Netflix, iTunes. etc. but teaching needs are different and specialized documentaries (or features) that are perfect for a given class may be used regularly long after a distributor has gone out of business. It's just the way that classes get taught. Some professors figure out a lesson plan and more or less set it on autopilot for a couple decades. So my hope was that independent educational distributors would be at the tail end of the DVD weaning process. On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 10:19 AM, Jonathan Miller <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Dear Videolib friends As many of you know Icarus Films has been helping to build, and currently has over 300 titles on, Docuseek2, to provide colleges and universities streaming access to our collection over the internet. Yes, we continue to invest in producing and releasing DVDs of the same titles. And, as streaming usage increases, selling fewer and fewer of them. It is making me wonder if we should stop selling DVDs altogether, not producing them at all for new films, and not ordering any more once we sell the last one of an older one. What do you think would happen if we did that? How many of you would definitely NOT buy or use a film that a professor or collection development librarian wanted to have, if it was ONLY available via streaming? I’m serious in asking this question, I think it may be time to take a (perhaps) drastic step, and not another small incremental one. What do you think? Thanks! Curiously yours, Jonathan Miller Jonathan Miller President Icarus Films 32 Court Street, 21st Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.IcarusFilms.com<http://www.icarusfilms.com/> http://HomeVideo.IcarusFilms.com<http://homevideo.icarusfilms.com/> Tel 1.718.488.8900<tel:1.718.488.8900> Fax 1.718.488.8642<tel:1.718.488.8642> [email protected]<mailto:[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. -- Chris Lewis American University Library 202.885.3257
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.
