Dear Farhad To be clear, we are not discontinuing DVDs, nor are we raising our prices for DVDs (in fact for over 35 years we have NEVER raised our prices, just the opposite). All we are doing really, in this experiment, is offering to lower the total costs for those libraries that do want, for whatever reason, to have both, streaming and DVDs. We certainly do not want to lose any customers, including you. And if that turns out to be a result of this experiment, it certainly will be an argument against continuing it. I am not sure what that should be the case, but we will see! Jonathan
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Moshiri, Farhad Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2015 11:35 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Videolib] No more DVDs? - OK / Not Dear Jonathan, It is unfortunate to see Bullfrog and Icarus Films have decided on losing many libraries with small AV budgets as their customers. Only large research libraries with big budgets can afford subscriptions to streaming video databases or licensing individual titles for a short period of time. This will certainly widen the gap between haves and have nots. I don't know why making DVDs on demand does not work for your companies and you prefer to loose some of your current customers. Farhad Moshiri, MLS Post-Masters Advanced Study Certificate Audiovisual Librarian Subject areas: Music, Dance, Copyright issues, Middle Eastern Studies University of the Incarnate Word J.E. & L.E. Mabee Library 4301 Broadway - CPO 297 San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 829-3842 ________________________________ From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> on behalf of Jonathan Miller <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Sent: Thursday, November 5, 2015 9:23 AM To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: [Videolib] No more DVDs? - OK / Not I 've been snowed under by all the responses to my question! And I agree with Barb, one of the main things that we've known, but that has been brought home again here, is that no one size will fit all. I've been in this business (if it is a business) for over 35 years, and one thing I can say for sure: every year things get a bit more complicated. In any case apparent from this discussion is that many of you, while acknowledging and, in most cases, accommodating the increasingly pervasive transition to digital delivery/streaming, DO want to have at least the option of also acquiring DVDs, whether as a back-up to loss of online access, and/or for the DVD's utility in its own right - and the notion of subscribing (for one year or three years or whatever short of forever) to individual films, or large collections, is a difficult trade off of missions, and money, at best. Given that we (and I write here on behalf of both Bullfrog Films and Icarus Films) are on both sides of a complimentary sword, we have been talking about this the last two days, and have thought of an experiment that we would like to put forward: What if, when you license a film for streaming online, or subscribe to an entire collection, you could then also acquire any of those films on DVD for half price? So, if you were to subscribe to The Docuseek2 Collection, you could then buy any Bullfrog Films or Icarus Films DVD, for 50% off, during the entire time your license or subscription is in place. Would this make it practical for more libraries to address both imperatives of collection development? Would it make the tradeoffs a little less difficult? We've discussed that this may reduce aggregate sales by the "film distribution" companies, but it might also make the transitions underway on both sides of the equation smoother? We would like to find out, and so we (both companies) will make this offer available until 12/31/15: Any institution that is currently licensing The Docuseek2 Collection, or commits to licensing The Docuseek2 Collection by December 31, 2015 (whether with a basic subscription, or via DS2's Evidence Based Acquisition program) will be able to purchase, while their license is in force, any title (from either Bullfrog Films or Icarus Films) that available from (or added to) The Docuseek2 Collection, at half price. Both companies will leave this offer in place through the end of the year, and in January we will evaluate how it went (all of us together, hopefully) and whether or not we should continue, modify, or drop this idea. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this! We'll be very interested to see what happens. Thanks again for all the comments, and best for now. Jonathan Miller For Bullfrog Films & Icarus Films From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bergman, Barbara J Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2015 4:21 PM To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Videolib] No more DVDs? I think the one clear answer we've gotten out of this discussion is that there is no one right answer. Academic libraries are pretty diverse. :) Barb Bergman | Media Services & Interlibrary Loan Librarian | Minnesota State University, Mankato | (507) 389-5945 | [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> ________________________________ This email and any files transmitted with it may be confidential or contain privileged information and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. 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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.
