Thoughts on DVD’s at the Library
by February 23rd, 2008 Patrick GreerI’ve been wanting to write something that is a bit off topic from the typical business talk of this site but on a subject that is of interest to me and will probably be to you as well.
One of my weekly activities is to go to my local library branch and see what movies, concerts, or TV shows are available to check out in the DVD format. You never know what you are going to find but I will have to admit most of the offerings are either old, serious or depressing. Yes, occasionally you will find a comedy or blockbuster film but for the most part I get the feeling they want to have things on hand that “teach us a lesson.” Yes, I know the library is not supposed to a great entertainment venue. It is supposed to be a storehouse of knowledge but many of the so called, “classics” don’t do it for me intellectually or inspire me.
Another thing that has me scratching my head is the odd assortment of choices between the different branches within my local library system. I find it sort of odd that one branch will have nothing but Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes which yet another branch will have nothing but Star Trek: Voyager episodes on DVD.
Is their a rhyme or reason to this? Do they study the local demographics and some wise sage in a back room who determines which parts of town will have access to certain DVD’s? I don’t know but for some reason the Berea Branch of the Greenville Library System has on Next Generation DVD’s while just a few miles to the north the Travelers Rest Branch has nothing but Star Trek: Voyager Episodes. Why can’t the library system rotate their collections among the branches instead of making me drive to different places to find new things to watch? Needless to say I have pretty much exhausted the offerings at the Berea Branch and I refuse to check out “serious films” especially in the winter months when I need an emotional pick up.
What are your library DVD experiences and thoughts? What do you wish the library stored more of? What do you wish the stored less of?
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I rarely just browse a library’s DVD collection for many of the reasons that you’ve mentioned (although I will sometimes look through for fun). Plus, with more popular shows, they only have some of the DVDs checked in at the time I’m there.
I typically search the catalog from home when there’s something I want to see. If the branch closest to me doesn’t have it, I simply put a hold on it, and the first available copy is brought to me at my branch, regardless of it’s normal home.
Our county opened a new “main branch” less than two weeks ago, and it seems half of the starting collection is sci-fi TV shows. Kinda odd, but a happy thing for me! :D
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Patrick,
Can you not do an inter-library loan? Actually, I guess it would be intra-library if it’s within the system itself… I did it when I taught at Carolina; surely it’s not just for teachers.
February 24th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Yeah I can do that. I just wonder about the general content and thinking that goes behind what libraries get what. It’s nothing something I’m totally dependent on and I sort of approach it as a game in a way.