VIDEOLIB Archive: Designing the ideal library media center

Here's a chance to mention those great features in your own media center =
is or perhaps to shout out for a facility that you know about where you =
wish you worked! The University of Louisville is in the process of =
renovating our existing undergraduate ("main") library which will include =
a sizeable addition. Our media department will have completely renovated =
space, likely in the new wing.

Many of you have gone through similar process or maybe going through one =
now. I know it is impossible to guess where the cutting edge becomes the =
bleeding edge with such plans, but I would be very interested in a wish =
list based on the wealth of wisdom and experience found on this list.

In terms of our own situation, we have a moderately sized collection of =
videos (2500 VHS and DVD). Currently they circulate to faculty, staff and =
grad students (undergraduate with permission). Our collection is =
primarily documentary with few feature films relating to curriculum. We =
have some audio tape, primarily spoken word (poetry but no recorded =
books). We also house the library's CD and DVD ROM collections (standalone=
titles and government publications, not music). We do no production or =
media or equipment distribution/scheduling. We maintain viewing carrels =
and viewing rooms. We currently have open stacks but are open to another =
model.

1. What are the top five things you would want if you could start from =
scratch to set up a university library media facility?
2. Where are the media facilities and collections that we should know =
about (or visit) for examples of "the way to go..."?
3. Should we be assuming that in ten years we'll be seeing a practical =
(digital) method of centralized serving for video/media throughout the =
university network? If that seems likely, should we continue to concentrat=
e for now on high quality local distribution, traditional carrels and =
viewing rooms and a flexible (not permament) layout and design?

Any other comments or suggestions would be more than welcome. Thanks in =
advance for your time and thought. You can respond to the list or to me =
personally.

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Here's a chance to mention those great features in your own = media=20 center is or perhaps to shout out for a facility that you know about=20 where you wish you worked! The University of Louisville is in = the=20 process of renovating our existing undergraduate ("main") library which = will=20 include a sizeable addition. Our media department will have=20 completely renovated space, likely in the new wing.

Many of you have gone through similar process or maybe going = through=20 one now. I know it is impossible to guess where the cutting = edge=20 becomes the bleeding edge with such plans, but I would be very interested = in a=20 wish list based on the wealth of wisdom and experience found on = this=20 list.

In terms of our own situation, we have a moderately sized collection = of=20 videos (2500 VHS and DVD). Currently they circulate to faculty, = staff and=20 grad students (undergraduate with permission). Our collection is = primarily=20 documentary with few feature films relating to curriculum. We have = some=20 audio tape, primarily spoken word (poetry but no recorded books). We = also=20 house the library's CD and DVD ROM collections (standalone titles=20 and government publications, not music). We do no production or = media=20 or equipment distribution/scheduling. We maintain viewing carrels = and=20 viewing rooms. We currently have open stacks but are open to = another=20 model.

3. Should we be assuming that in ten years we'll be seeing = a=20 practical (digital) method of centralized serving for video/media = throughout the=20 university network? If that seems likely, should we continue to=20 concentrate for now on high quality local distribution, = traditional=20 carrels and viewing rooms and a flexible (not permament) layout and=20 design?

Any other comments or suggestions would be more than welcome. = Thanks=20 in advance for your time and thought. You can respond to the list or = to me=20 personally.