[Original posting on this topic appeared in COLLDV-L no. 1262, which is
reproduced below; the responses follow it.]
From: Spokane County Lib Dist <scld-adm_at_wln.com>
I would like to know if any library weeds children's and entertainment
videos based on number of circulations, and if so how many? Also, does
anyone clean these videos as many video rental outlets do?
Steward Robbins
(1) From: "Andrea G. Williams" <awilliam_at_avenue.gen.va.us>
We have an ever growing video collection. So far, we have not had to weed
it as loss and damage seems to keep it thinned out. We would probably weed
any item that had fewer than 20 circs per year. That would be very low circ
for us. I guess it would depend on what the loan period is. If a title is
on the shelf more time than it is out, it would be
a candidate for weeding.
We do clean our tapes. We have a machine which simultaneously clean and
checks for certain types of defects. It then "grades" the tapes (0
defects="A", etc.) Unfortunately, we do not do this routinely. We don't
have enough staff to do it and only one machine for 8 branches. We do it
when a patron reports that a particular video has a problem. This happens
a great deal of the time, so the checking machine is kept very busy.
Hope this info is helpful.
(2) From: Julie Spiegler <spiegler_at_wvlc.wvnet.edu>
We are letting our videos weed themselves by attrition. When they wear out,
break, damaged, etc. they are laid to rest in video heaven. Our older videos
have 200-250 circs on them and keep on playing. We also clean our videos
once a year on a "TAPECHEK" machine from RTI (1-800-323-7520). RTI sells
different sizes of machines, we use Model 470 and have had for about 3 years.
It inspects the tape as it cleans it and "grades" it (A,B,C) for condition.
We add a color-coded sticker to the video with date cleaned and grade. We
feel this machine has been well-worth the money it cost in saving and
reconditioning our videos. Our video collection has approximately 4800
titles but with multiple copies of children's/family titles, I'm estimating
we circulate 6,000 videos between our main library and it's nine branches.
Julie Spiegler
Audiovisual Department
Kanawha County Public Library
123 Capitol Street
Charleston WV 25301
Received on Fri Nov 15 1996 - 15:39:33 EST