Film and Video Open Collection Experiences at UNCW

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Film and Video Open Collection Experiences at
UNCW

• Susannah Benedetti
• Gary Moore
• University of North Carolina Wilmington
• January 12, 2008
• ACRL Media Resources Discussion Group
• ALA Midwinter

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Video collection in closed stacks
Randall Library A/V service desk circa 2001
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Overview

• 1970s
• Began developing a closed A/V collection
• LP records, CDs, CD-ROMs, VHS, Laser discs, DVDs
• Accession numbers
• 1990s
• Assigned LC call numbers to videos
• 2001
• Reclassified collection of 2800 recreational
  videos by genre and moved to open stacks

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Reasons to move recreational videos to open stacks

• Collection growing rapidly
• No room for PN1997 cutter expansion
• No room for physical expansion
• Ongoing patron requests for browsing
• Establishment of Film Studies Department
• Availability of 3M Tattle-tape security

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Decisions and actions 2001

• Documentary video collection left in closed
  stacks
• Decided on genre browsing for recreational video
  collection
• Reclassification
• Foreign videos PN1997.language.title
• Silent videos PN1995.75.title
• All other recreational videos PN1995.9.genre.titl
  e
• Opportunity to address historic classification
  inconsistencies

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Inconsistent recreational video call numbers,
1980s-2001

• Motion picture by title
• PN1997.D722 1999
• Motion picture by topic
• PN1995.9.V3 D722 1999
• Literary by author
• PR6037.T69 D722 1999
• LC Topic
• DR240.5.V553 1999

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New classification scheme for recreational videos
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Dracula before and after

• Motion picture by title
• PN1997.D722 1999
• Motion picture by topic
• PN1995.9.V3 D722 1999
• Literary by author
• PR6037.T69 D722 1999
• LC Topic
• DR240.5.V553 1999

New call number
PN 1995.9 .H6 D722 1999
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Library collaboration

• Administration
• Budget planning
• Systems
• Technical adjustments to system
• Access Public Services
• Shelving, space staffing

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Videos in closed stacks
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Videos in open stacks
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Classroom, formerly closed stacks

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Pros of move to open stacks

• Extended benefits to library
• Access services
• Increased circulation
• Consolidated service point
• Public services
• New classroom
• Increased instruction sessions
• Allowed creation of LIB credit courses
• Provided more reference opportunities to assist
  patrons searching for media

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Pros (continued)

• Increased circulation
• 90 increase for recreational videos when moved
  out (2001/02)
• 88 increase for documentary DVDs when moved out
  (2006/07)
• Recreational DVDs account for 20 of total
  circulation (2006/07)

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Pros (continued)

• Improved library public space curb appeal
• Open video collection supports library as place
  concept
• Browsing videos is popular
• Collection is a highlighted feature of library
  tours
• Classroom doubles as public programming space

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Cons

• Confusion on the shelf and in the OPAC
• Genres
• Limiting films to one genre is subjective and
  affects browsing
• Inferring the genre from the catalog record can
  be difficult
• Locally defined catch-all Drama genre too broad
• Locations
• Increased number of video locations
• -VHS recreational -DVD recreational
• -VHS documentary -DVD documentary
• -VHS foreign -DVD foreign
• -Oversized -Reserves

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What is the genre?
Which genre section would this be in?
Kidnapping? Feature films? Adventure films?
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Multiple locations in search results
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Multiple shelf locations
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Cons (continued)

• Greater potential for errors losses
• Control over closed stacks is lost
• Misshelving
• Numerous classification categories
• Scattered physical locations
• Materials frequently not on shelf even if
• status says available
• Theft, loss, damage
• Higher replacement costs

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Unforeseen factors

• Domino effect
• High circulation led to DVD collection
  development push
• Ever increasing volume of DVDs led to need for
  more staff
• Opportunity to showcase specific collections
• Foreign videos
• Television series
• Documentaries

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Unforeseen factors (continued)

• Documentary video collection
• Left in closed stacks but made accessible to
  patrons
• Insignificant circulation increase
• Uninviting entrance
• Moved to open stacks
• DVD circulation increased
• VHS circulation decreased
• Floor plan layout and unfortunate use of compact
  shelving
• Increasing obsolescence

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• Video collection in closed stacks

Randall Library A/V service desk circa 2001
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Improvements on the way

• Shelf signage
• Genre labels
• Call number ranges
• Master lists for browsing
• Title/genre
• Genre/title
• Increased replacement fees for damaged or
  unreturned materials
• Implementing Summer 2008

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Contact information

• Susannah Benedetti
• Gary Moore
• William M. Randall Library
• UNC-Wilmington
• 601 S. College Road
• Wilmington NC 28409-5616
• benedettis_at_uncw.edu
• mooreg_at_uncw.edu