I honestly would be very, very disappointed if DVDs were discontinued by Icarus! I know that, as a small residential college, we are different than big universities and/or those with lots of distance ed and online courses. Still, I also know that we are not unique and that there are many small schools out there purchasing film in physical format. I definitely still attempt to build a collection, not just acquire access.
Randal alluded to the budget thing, and I’ll just say, “Yes!” For me, it still makes most sense to use our limited dollars to purchase DVDs, rather than arrange for streaming. Yes, docs can be pricey in DVD format, too, but having them available for years and years as opposed to 1-year or 3-year licenses matters. And DVD is DEFINITELY preferred to short-term licensing of an individual title. That screams “rental” to me, and that’s just not something our budget can support. Sarah mentioned buying feature films in DVD format, and it’s true that the difference is more marked there, where the DVD only costs $25. So “bang for your buck” is absolutely more apparent in the feature film realm, but it still holds on the doc and educational side for us, too. Please don’t stop! ☺ Susan Susan Albrecht Graduate Fellowship Advisor Library Media Acquisitions Manager Wabash College Lilly Library 765-361-6216 (acquisitions) / 765-361-6297 (fellowships) 765-361-6295 fax albre...@wabash.edu<mailto:albre...@wabash.edu> Twitter: @Wab_Fellowships www.facebook.com/wabashcollegelibrary.films<http://www.facebook.com/wabashcollegelibrary.films> ******************************************************************* "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." --Neil Peart ******************************************************************* From: videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu [mailto:videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Lewis Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2015 12:08 PM To: Videolib <videolib@lists.berkeley.edu> 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 <jmil...@icarusfilms.com<mailto:jmil...@icarusfilms.com>> 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> jmil...@icarusfilms.com<mailto: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. -- 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.
