no.1409-VIDEOS IN LIBRARY COLLECTIONS (Summary of Responses)

[Original posting on this topic appeared in COLLDV-L no. 1379 and is
reproduced below; the summary of responses follows it.]

From: Freddie Siler <FSILER_at_ASUNET.ALASU.EDU>

I am sending this message to the listserv to find out if anyone is aware of
specific standards that can be used to determine what percentage of a
library's total collection should videos constitute.   I am particularly
interested in standards that focus on video collections in a curriculum or
instructional materials library.   If your library orders non-print materials,
do you have a separate budget allocation for videos and/or AV
materials?  If so, what formula(s) do you use to calculate the allocation?
Also, with the impact of changing technology, what are some of the
pitfalls of building a video collection?  Please share any literature that you
might have that discuss building and maintaining a balance collection of
print and non-print formats.

Please respond directly to:

Freddie B. Siler
University Library and Learning Resources
915 S. Jackson St.
Montgomery, AL  36101
334 229-4591 Phone
334 229-4940 Fax

Email:  fsiler_at_asunet.alasu.edu

Thank you in advance for your comments.

========================================================================
From: Freddie Siler <FSILER_at_ASUNET.ALASU.EDU>

Thanks to all of you who responded to my query regarding specific
standards and budget allocations for videos and other A.V. materials.
The following is a summary of the four responses that I received.

One library informed me of the ALA/AECT Standards for Community,
Junior, and Technical Colleges.  These standards specify the number of
videos to be held in 2-year college libraries.   Although the standards
apply to 2-year colleges, they gave me some ideas.  AECT has a web
site at:http://www.aect.org.

One library established a separate "expense video" fund of $6,000 from
which they purchase videos that cost over $300.  They only buy videos
that faculty insist they want to use for classroom instructions or as
assignments for students to be viewed in their Interactive Media Center.
Videos costing under $300 are considered like a book purchase.

One library participates in a cooperative that allows them to swap 60
videos per month and 30 audio books every three months.   They pay
$800.00 a year to belong to the cooperative.  This is a good solution
since their A.V. budget is only $1,000 per year.  They also rely on
donations to purchase some videos and cd's.

One library stated that they don't have a special budget allocation for
videos and that they are purchased from the same funds as the books.
They don't try to maintain a particular balance between print and
non-print resources, but simply buy what they think is needed regardless
of the format.  The following criteria is used to acquire books and videos:
 (1) course-specific support, (2) general curriculum support, and (3)
general knowledge/recreational viewing.  The best catalogs for selection
purposes (at least for their library) are:
PBS Video, Viewfinders Uncommon Video, Films for the Humanities &
Sciences, Facets Video, Filmic Archives, and Critics' Choice Video.
Viewfinders, Facets, and Critics's Choice are excellent sources for
retrospective titles at cheap prices.


Thanks again.
Freddie B. Siler