VIDEO COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Purpose

The Washington County Public Library acquires, makes available, and encourages the use of videocassettes to serve general information, education, and recreation needs within the community. The collection strives to complement rather than to compete with local video rental stores by offering a different collection focus. Materials in all genres and all subjects will be collected as long as the subject or subject treatment is deemed suitable to the video format.

The collection is very general in subject/genre scope, and does not contain specialized materials for the exclusive use of one particular group. Materials are collected on a basic level (i.e., a highly selective collection that serves to introduce and define minor subject matter, and to indicate the variety of information available).

The collection does not include materials purchased specifically for school or college curriculum use. The library asserts the fundamentals of intellectual freedom, and purchases materials representing all sides of a subject/topic when possible. The library endorses the Library Bill of Rights, the Diversity in Collection Development Interpretation, the statement on Labeling, the Challenged Materials Interpretation, Expurgation of Library Materials and Freedom to View statements, and does not label or censure materials.

Videocassettes are made available at the Main Library and through a rotation system of the four branches.

Selection Responsibility

The selection, acquisition, and discarding of videos is delegated by the Library Director to the Head of the Circulation Department. Items are considered for collection inclusion based on favorable reviews from authoritative selection tools.

Selection Criteria

Generally, the selection of videos follows the same standards as for print materials; however, videos are recognized to have some fundamental differences, and should be evaluated accordingly. Video programs are evaluated as a whole and not on the basis of particular scenes or segments. A work will not be excluded from the collection just because it presents an aspect of life honestly or because it exhibits frankness of expression. An item need not meet all of the criteria to be acceptable. In some instances, materials may be judged primarily on artistic merit, or because of scholarship, or as valuable historic records, or as critical to the information needs of the community. In a few instances, the criterion may be substantial demand.

Because of the great diversity of materials, there is no single set of general criteria that can be applied to all items. Some items are judged primarily in terms of artistic merit or documentation of the times, while others are selected to satisfy the recreational and information needs of the community. The library encourages purchase suggestions from the public, and will give them serious consideration.

Selection decisions are based upon reviews in professional review magazines and books.

Currently, only VHS videocassettes are included in the collection.

Selection Criteria by Subject of Material

In selection of material by subject, consideration should be given to such matters as popular (and timely) demand for the item; relationship of the material to the existing collection to other materials available on the subject; the likely attention of critics, opinion makers, and the public to the item; its importance as a document of our times; the cost of the item as compared with comparable materials on the same subject; and the cost to benefit ratio compared with an alternative expenditure. Acquisition of such material will include videotapes of an information, cultural, recreational, local business, and instructional nature for collections that contemplate and emphasize serious use while recognizing also the legitimacy of entertainment purposes. Acquisitions are limited to works for which an acceptable level of quality has been determined in one or more of the following ways:

By the opinion of qualified reviewers in recognized, authoritative review sources. At least one positive review is required.
Through recognition by prizes, awards, etc., given by critical organizations, institutes, or associations of peers of producing artists, such as the New York Film Critics Circle, the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cannes Film Festival, etc.
Materials reissued in video form from filmed material or reproduced 20 years or more after the original production shall be assumed on the basis of longevity of appeal to meet standards for acquisition.
Materials that have appeared on Public Televison networks.
In-house review/preview evaluation by the Head of the Circulation Department.
If an artist, in seeking realistic representation of the human condition, includes materials that is sexually candid or dialogue with vulgar diction, such inclusion will not be considered reason for rejection if the video otherwise meets standards for acquisition.

General quality criteria include the following:

Is of present and potential relevance to community needs.
Provides insight into human and social needs.

Accurately presents factual information.
Is useful for its intended audience.
Satisfies public demand resulting from the attention of critics and reviews.
Provides high quality performances and accurate content.
Is produced with technical skill.
Provides a presentation most effectively or appropriately delivered by the video format.
Provides information or presentation that is unique to or only available in the format.
Currency and timeliness of the material. Videos on rapidly changing or ephemeral subjects should not be purchased.
Cost effectiveness of one media over another.
Weakness of the collection in a particular area.
Durability of the physical item.
Commercialism must be minimal, not distracting from theme or content.

Specific Criteria:

Nonfiction

Nonfiction video is purchased when the format provides a useful and eclectic way of presenting information to a clientele. All general subjects will be acquired, with particular emphasis upon cooking, travel, craft how-tos, and sports videos. All video programs advocating exercise or special diets must receive certification, approval, or a favorable review from an authoritative subject source such as the Aerobic and Fitness Association of American or the American Dietetics Association.

Business

In association with the local area business reference area, the library will seek to acquire a wide variety of general business-oriented videos on subjects such as interviewing, resume writing, employee motivation and productivity, and management skills. Specific business-related materials are not purchased.

Children’s and Young Adult

These materials should be useful and relevant to such patrons’ everyday needs, interests, and activities. Children’s materials will be purchased for the age group ranging from preschool through eighth grade. Special emphasis will be place on a child’s developmental needs for stimulation of imagination and mental growth. Video adaptations of children’s books, folktales and fairy tales, animated videos, and concept videos (programs teaching basic concept skillsBsuch as shape, color, and number recognitionBleading to development of specific skills) will also be emphasized. Titles that promote a product or are based upon a toy and used primarily as promotional/advertising vehicles will not be purchased. Young Adult material will emphasize current, popular, lively themes that contribute to the development and pleasure of the this group. Also, programs concerning specific timely health, social, and personal issues of interest to young adults will be collected. Programs such as ABC’s After-school Specials will be included for Young Adults.

Feature Films

Features will be purchased to satisfy the public’s need for recreational materials, and to serve differing tastes and interests. Owing to the relatively high cost of video materials and limited library budgets, it is impossible for any library to adequately satisfy public demand for high-interest feature films. Classics; long-term popular features and musicals; award winners; and other broad-based genres will be included. English -language features are emphasized; however, foreign film Academy Award winners are purchased in the captioned original-language form (not English-dubbed). Popular, ephemeral music video will not be included.

Public Performance and Off-Air Tapes

A substantial majority (at least 80 percent) of the titles purchased are designated home-use only, and are purchased through standard vendors or direct from the producer/distributor. However, some titles are recorded off-air (when legally possible) and put into the collection.

Some titles include public performance rights, and these rights are indicated on the physical cassette as well as the videographic record; however, titles for the circulating collection are not expressly purchased for those rights.

Collection Maintenance

Multiple Copies

Multiple copies will be provided based on demonstrated and anticipated user interest, availability of funds, and availability of similar items already in the collection.

Replacement of Materials

Videos will not automatically be replaced because of loss or damage. Replacement decisions will be based upon:

Demand for title (popularity)
Number of copies already held.
Existing coverage of a subject/genre in the collection.
Availability of newer (more appropriate, more accurate, or better-presented) materials on the subject.

Weeding

Weeding or deaccession by virtue of damaged, lost, or not returned items is continuous. Damaged videos are examined and sent to the Technical Services Department for deaccession/replacement consideration. In order to maintain active, up-to-date, useful collections, the Head of the Circulation Department will periodically examine all video materials in terms of relevance to user needs and selection criteria. Last-copy and out-of-print titles will usually be retained if of local historical interest or significance, or if the information they contain is of use to the community and cannot be acquired elsewhere. Other factors to be considered include:

Lack of use (as measured by the turnover rate of the genre/subject as a standard).
Physical playing condition and age (acquisition date). Videocassettes exceeding 200 circulations are coded with a colored dot. Within weeding parameters, these are the first items to be considered for collection deaccession. Video Damage Condition Reports, included with each tape at the time of circulation, are examined for potential weeding.
Accuracy and currency of information. Not only the information, but the presentation style of that information is important. The Video Damage Condition Reports also flag potential candidates for deaccession relating to subject accuracy and presentation style.

Evaluation

The collection is continually evaluated in terms of circulation performance, currency, content inclusion, scope and depth of coverage, and popularity. All subjects/genres are continually analyzed for subject strengths, weaknesses, and omissions. Patron suggestions also play an important role in evaluation. Continuous weeding and responsible replacement of damaged/lost titles aids in maintaining a collection that reflects changing community needs and library goals.

Gifts

Gift materials will be accepted with the understanding that they become the property of the library. They are evaluated against the same criteria as purchased materials. Donors may not place any special conditions upon the loan or handling of the items. The Head of the Circulation Department will make the final decision on use and other disposition of all donations, and will determine the conditions of display, housing, and access to the materials.

Materials Not Included

Works that include material that achieves its appeal strictly by sensationalism, erotic, scatological, or other cheap exploitive means will not be included. Material that is strictly ephemeral in nature and is dependent upon speedy acceptance encouraged by massive publicity will not be acquired.