Re: [SPAM] [Videolib] circulating video to students

Susan Albrecht (albrechs@wabash.edu)
Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:24:15 -0500

We have circulated videos & DVDs to students, staff & faculty for
years. We do not fine until the 4th overdue notice has been generated, at
which point our system "assumes" the item is lost and charges a $60
replacement fee + a $5 PitA fee which remains even if the feckless borrower
finally returns the item. This works fairly well. If instructors want to
use items for class, they are to request that the materials go on in-house
use only classroom reserve, where they typically remain for a full semester.

What I have found a problem is out & out theft, not so much borrowers who
just don't get around to returning materials. A couple of years ago I
"solved" the theft problem by replacing oft-stolen VHS titles with DVDs,
since few students then had DVD players. Well, y'all know where *that*
solution has gone -- down the tubes! We have had a fair number of DVDs --
popular, feature film titles, all -- go missing this year, and we're pretty
sure it's a student worker problem.

But, again, I wouldn't ever want to see us go to not circulating
videos/DVDs to students. As long as profs tell you which items they need
on reserve, there's rarely a problem.

Susan at Wabash College

Susan Albrecht
Acquisitions Coordinator
Wabash College Lilly Library
Crawfordsville, IN
x6216
albrechs@wabash.edu

*********************************************************************************
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."--Neil Peart
*********************************************************************************

_______________________________________________
Videolib mailing list
Videolib@library.berkeley.edu
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib