We would never buy a title that is only available through streaming unless it came as some sort of package deal through the consortium we belong to. For instance, we do subscribe to the Films on Demand titles. In a similar way, we would never purchase an e-book unless it was some sort of a package deal. On the other hand, our AV budget is so teeny-tiny, that we could never afford to buy a DVD directly from Icarus. Makes me sad because they have some really great titles. :( Gail Gawlik Assistant Director of Library Technical Services Brown Library University of St. Francis Joliet, IL
>>> Jonathan Miller <jmil...@icarusfilms.com> 11/3/2015 9:19 AM >>> 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 Fax 1.718.488.8642 jmil...@icarusfilms.com 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.
