RE: My Distributor Rant...

Mike Boedicker (mboedicker@hotmail.com)
Fri, 16 Aug 2002 09:27:40 -0700 (PDT)

Since we're ranting, here's my beef: distributors (usually cable TV
channels) who only supply generic packaging for their videos -- i.e. the
package displays the company logo and some PR about the channel but nothing
about the program. They argue that the library market is only a fraction of
total sales & so they can't justify spending the time and money on decent
cover art, but I don't buy it. Even if I purchased one of their titles for
my home collection, I'd want cover art so I could quickly locate it.

As public librarians out there know, plain packaging means zero circulation.
I've held off buying titles from distributors because of the packaging --
what librarian has the time to create cover art? Fortunately, some vendors
(Midwest Tape is one) indicate in their catalogs if a title comes with
generic packaging.

Mike Boedicker
Audiovisual Director & Webmaster
Danville Public Library
319 N. Vermilion, Danville, IL 61832
(217) 477-5223 ext. 123 / Fax: (217) 477-5230
mboedicker@hotmail.com
http://www.danville.lib.il.us

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