RE: Academic Media Policy for PALS,SECAM,

Kristine R. Brancolini (brancoli@indiana.edu)
Fri, 26 Feb 1999 11:01:15 -0800 (PST)

Melissa: Actually, our copyright expert has told us that for a title that
we cannot buy in the U.S. it is permissible to transfer the PAL or SECAM
tape to NTSC if we discard the original tape. However, I don't like to do
that due to the degraded quality of the dupe. So when we buy tapes that
are not NTSC we point out the problems with availability of equipment.
Sometimes they still want us to buy it, so we do. Most of the requests
are for feature films, which are usually watched here anyway. And since
they don't have subtitles, we don't have large classes wanting access. I
have converted a few programs to NTSC -- not feature films -- usually with
permission of the distributor.

Kristine Brancolini
Indiana University Libraries

On Fri, 26 Feb 1999, Melisa Nicoud wrote:

> Comrades,
> I a receiving more requests and outright purchases of European
> PALS and SECAM formats that our faculty want cataloged into our collection.
> We have not encouraged these formats for two reasons:
> 1) NTSC-VHS is preferential for classroom/student use, and
> 2) We have 2 machines on which these formats can be viewed,
> limiting access and usage
>
> These formats are predominantly requested by our foreign language faculty
> with the assumption that because they bought them in Europe or because they
> are
> in a less than preferable format that we can "just copy them" into NTSC-VHS
> format.
> (I KNOW the copyright answer to that one!)
>
> My question: How do you deal with these formats? Any
> discussion, policy statement or feedback will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you,
> ~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
> Melisa C. Nicoud
> Media Librarian
> The University of Montana
> Mansfield Library
> Instructional Media Services
> Social Science Bldg.
> Missoula, Montana 59812
> voice: (406)243-5329
> fax: (406)243-4067
> email: mcn@selway.umt.edu
> ****************************************
> If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. -Derek Bok, President,
> Harvard University
>
>
>