Field Experience Report
- 1. Ellie Gehman LIS 2925 20 April 2012 Field Experience Report For the spring 2012 semester, I interned at the Community College of Allegheny County North Campus Library. My supervisor was Barbara Thompson, Department Head. My main project during the semester dealt with our VHS collection. I first had to look up each VHS tape in Workflows. If the tape had been checked out within the past five years, I wrote down the title and usage statistics in an Excel spreadsheet. I did this for every VHS in our academic and popular video collections as well as the videos that professors had on reserve. After I had compiled my list, I researched if there was a DVD replacement available from either the publisher or Amazon. One difficulty I encountered was actually finding copies of many of the videos. A lot of them were from the 80s and were no longer being produced or had never been converted to DVD format. For some of them, I found a comparable video that covered the same subject. I’m not sure if the library will decide to order my suggestions as alternatives. Maybe they’ll ask the professors who use the videos for suggestions. One reason Barbara decided to start this project now is that the library has a sizeable amount of money left in the A/V budget. When I began the project, I thought that the amount ($16,000) was huge and that the library would have no problem replacing all of the VHS tapes. After conducting this research, however, I realized how naïve that thought was. I had no idea how expensive academic DVDs were. While there were a few that were reasonably priced, the vast majority cost hundreds of dollars. These academic videos are severely overpriced for the content they offer. Most are only thirty minutes or less of actual video. One DVD was even $795
- 2. for a twenty-minute video! This project really gave me a clear idea as to why libraries struggle with their budgets every year. The prices for the materials needed, whether the materials are videos, books, or databases, seem to be reaching a point where it seems impossible for libraries to afford everything they need. The ACRL lists the higher education funding as a top issue in academic libraries, asking, “How can libraries provide access to the information students and faculty need when the cost of resources is rising so precipitously?” (Hisle). This was an issue that was on my mind as I completed this project. Another issue that struck me during this project was the rapid change of technology. Replacing all of the VHS tapes that can be replaced with DVDs will take years to complete and Blu-ray is already on the rise. Will the library have to undergo a new transformation of video format as soon as the previous ordering is finished? As far as academic videos go, I didn’t see any of the ones I researched offered in Blu-ray format, so maybe that won’t be an issue for many years to come. It seems that as of right now, DVDs and Blu-rays exist peacefully together, but that could change any day. This project is important not just because it’s vital that libraries stay current with the available technology, but also to maintain positive perceptions of the library. The VHS tapes I encountered were covered in dust and the clear plastic covering the cases was peeling and cracked. Going into those stacks to retrieve a tape is definitely a turn-off. Keeping the VHS tapes is perpetuating the idea that libraries are dusty, outdatedplaces and ultimately, things of the past. The VHS project was a valuable use of my time at CCAC. Upgrading VHS to DVD is something that is occurring in academic libraries everywhere, and I will most likely encounter it wherever I end up working. At my Pitt Partnership at Washington & Jefferson College, it’s an
- 3. ongoing project that is being completed in increments as the budget allows. I may once again workon a similar project in the future. References Hisle, W. Lee. “Top issues facing academic libraries: A report of the Focus on the Future Task Force.” C&RL News 63.10 (2002): n.p. ACRL. Association of College & Research Libraries, n.d. Web. 12 April 2012.