Comments on: Library Videos Won’t Survive, and There Go Our Circ Stats

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:06:59 +0000

In our rural community we still have VHS and DVD in our library. People borrow both. Learning to live within your budget means that you don’t have to rush out to buy a new piece of equipment if the one that you own still works. It’s one thing to buy a new TV if you don’t have one or the old one finally konks out. Some of us are able to access cell phone service and some of us cannot so we still have land lines. Some of us can afford $60 month for a satellite connection to the internet and some of us still have to have dial up on old copper wiring whether we like it or not. Our library tries to provide services to us, the best available in our physical area, and within their budget – whether it be print, audio, internet or visual.

By: Bartleby

Bartleby — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:29:30 +0000

But I thought E-books were at the “tipping point”?

By: september 23

september 23 — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:19:53 +0000

Exactamundo, KidLib.

By: KidLib

KidLib — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 07:25:06 +0000

The digital systems made available to libraries are deliberately obtuse and ridiculous, but we have to jump on the bandwagon to prove relevance.

:headdesk:

At my library, books are still the bread and butter, though of course the videos go out a lot, as do the audio books. But at check-in, we have one media cart and five book carts to sort to, and the book carts have to be switched out more often.

I quite honestly don’t see e-books as a danger to book-books, and particularly not to libraries. There’s too much equipment needed for retrieval, and they keep changing it so fast–it’s only a certain segment of the population that can use the stuff at all.

There are definite benefits in digitizing the periodicals and reference works–instant updates, for one thing, and much easier searching through databases. But I am very nervous about the corporate control of those databases because, as the AL points out, that means that someone can just pull them off at any time, depending on whim, and what on earth is backing them up?

By: Karen N.

Karen N. — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:40:14 +0000

The attitude around streaming video proliferation is depressing. As a movie fan, I will always prefer having my own (as in, I /own/ them) collection of my favorite movies in my home. But most people don’t take film as seriously. I want to have a copy of /Raging Bull/ because it’s a work of art, not because I just want to see it.

By: Elisa

Elisa — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:23:29 +0000

We had a full video collection until 2 years ago. Most of the videos were weeded; special interest ones remained as staff only use.

By: september 23

september 23 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:57:22 +0000

sorry: the difference between *entertainment* and culture, etc.

By: september 23

september 23 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:55:07 +0000

and the difference between education and culture is what, again? the line is where?

By: Bibliotecher

Bibliotecher — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:23:39 +0000

+1 to Sasquatch for “The Wire” reference.

Now if only we had our own library – Hamsterdam where all the skeevy patrons can do their business.

By: gatoloco

gatoloco — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:44:53 +0000

Google & Apple TV (new and improved version) will be there for people who can afford the bandwidth and content. Beyond entertainment there will be many basic needs for viewing online instructional videos at the library. Will helping those unable to afford these services be enough to keep publics up and running? I would like it to be.