Re: Interesting prices

LaRoi Lawton (LRL@BCC.CUNY.EDU)
Sat, 4 Dec 1999 06:18:12 -0800 (PST)

Dear Fellow ViLibs:
As the media specialist at a community college in New York, pricing has
been an ongoing problem for me and my small and sometimes phantom budget for
many years. The pricing has been outrageous but I am of the opinion that
until colleges, and universities nationwide band together to make a formal
protest to those who dictate these prices, the problems will only get worse.
Often I have to weigh cost, versus student/faculty need with the price of
much of the material that is out there. While we have an extensive vendor
catalog, shopping around for a half-way decent price for any AV material is
a time-consuming process and requires more than one person. Many vendors
realize this what they don't make in a purchase from one entity, they will
from another. So no, WE are not alone with this gripe.
Maybe through this forum, we may be able to do something about it.

LaRoi Lawton, Director
Sage Learning Center
Bronx Community College
Bronx, New York 10453

-----Original Message-----
From: videolib@library.berkeley.edu <videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
To: Laroi Lawton <Laroi Lawton>
Date: Friday, December 03, 1999 3:31 PM
Subject: Interesting prices

>I just had a chance to read my e-mail after being on vacation for several
>days. I agree with everything that has been said about the prices. And
>while we're talking about prices, I have a few other problems. I buy
videos
>for a medium sized public library, and most of our titles are
>informational/instructional. My question is - how are some of these prices
>decided? I mean, there are prices on videos anywhere from $150 to $300 for
>videos that are not even 30 minutes long. I understand that the makers and
>actors and distributers have to make a profit. I understand about public
>performance rights. But still, who buys these? Wouldn't they sell more if
>the prices were lower? I certainly can't afford this, if only for good
>patron relations. I don't want to tell a patron that since his/her tape
>player ate our video, they are out $200. And as far as public performance
>rights go, I rarely order tapes with these. Yes, we have teachers checking
>them out, but my understanding of copyright law is that if the film is used
>in conjunction with the curriculum, you don't need public performance
>rights. Or have I been wrong all these years? Or are these problems noone
>else has, and I have been struggling with these issues for no reason? Just
>a little venting, you know. I am about to do some preliminary selection
for
>our next year's order, and I am facing checking all these titles in a
myriad
>of databases from various vendors.
>
>Becky Tatar
>Unit Head, Periodicals/Audiovisual
>Aurora Public Library
>1 E. Benton Street
>Aurora, IL 60505
>630/264-4100 x 4116
>630/896-3209 FAX
>www.aurora.lib.il.us
>