[Publib] LibFlicks -how to create a VERY large branch DVD browsing collection for a minimal cost

[Arnold Bob]

I'm not a librarian, I'm a library patron. The branch libraries I have visited in my community have all had rather meager collections of DVD's  available to browse through. There have been days I've gone into my current local branch and I have seen a total of only  20, 7 and even ZERO DVD's on the shelves. Even on the days there are DVD's they tend to be the SAME DVD's( new DVD's are rarely added at my branch so I must usually browse through mostly the same DVD's). To solve this problem, I came with a  idea, that I will be presenting to my local library system,for a library/patron partnership to create an adjunct to existing DVD collection at its local branches. The idea follows,  I'd appreciate your feedback before I present it to my local library system.

LibFlicks

1-HOW TO ACQUIRE THE LIBFLICKS DVD's
-The Free option: Ask patrons to donate DVD's for the branches LibFlicks collection. Let them know the benefit of doing so.(Increased DVD selection, higher charge out limits etc)

-The paid option:Offer patrons $1 for each acceptable DVD they bring to the their local branch library(You might even want to offer slightly more. In any case,at $0.00, $1.00, or  $2.00 the acquisitions cost will be far lower then your current acquisition cost.

2-CATALOGING
-To maximize circulation and minimize costs, LibFlicks DVD's are meant to be a branch browsing only /non reserveable collection. Given this, they need not be cataloged by Title/Author in your catalog. The only thing you need do is to enter them in your computer system as a "Generic DVD" with a unique system barcoding number, so that if patrons do not return them they can be properly fined as with any other item not returned on time. Entering LibFlicks DVD's in your system as "generic DVD" will also minimize cataloging costs AND allow DVD's to be entered in you system  immediately upon receipt  AT THE BRANCH THEY WERE DONATED TO rather then have them go through time consuming catalog processing at your central acquisitions/cataloging facility.  

3-HOW TO MINIMIZE IN SYSTEM TRANSIT TIMES
Library items taken out normally, if not returned to the branch they are "owned" by must be trucked back to that branch. LibFlicks DVD's will not be considered to have a home branch, they will stay at whatever branch they are returned to, thereby minimizing wasted transit times (and also allowing for the next item) 

4-ROTATING THE COLLECTION ( or HOW TO GIVE EACH BRANCH A 500 DVD A MONTH BROWSING COLLECTION)
-a)At the start of Every day, on every Interlibrary loan truck make sure there is  a box of 25 LibFlicks DVD's
-b)When a truck comes to a branch stop, leave a box of 25 LibFlicksDVD's there, and take a box of 25 LibFlick's DVD's from the shelves of this branch
-c)Repeat step b at each successive branch.
-d)At the end of the day there will be a box of 25 LibFlicks DVD's picked up from the last branch stopped at that day.If there are multiple trucks for different branch groups exchange the boxes on each truck as in step b
-e)On the next day repeat step a) 

-Using this rotation scheme, rather then a having a small rarely changing collection of DVD's to browse through, each branch will every month have over  500 different  LibFlicks DVD's for patrons to browse through (25 days*25 rotated  DVD's= 525).  Over the  period of a year if branches are open  250 days each branch could have upwards of  SIX THOUSAND  different LibFlicks DVD's for each of a branches patrons to browse through (25 rotated DVD's per day * 250 days =6250).

5-DO NOT USE PROTECTIVE LOCKING CASES FOR LIBFLICKS DVD'S 
-Many library systems place DVD's in "locked" casings to prevent theft.  Given the low/zero cost of acquisition of LibFlicks DVD's there is no need to do so here. Rather then optimizing the LibFlicks DVD's to prevent theft we are optimizing to create minimal costs/maximal circulation  therefore no need for extensive protective measures.  By not placing DVD's in thick protective housings this  will also minimize shelf space, allowing you to place more DVD's in less space.


6-BETTER UTIZILATION OF LIMITED FUNDS
Currently libraries buy a variety of both very popular and less popular DVD's with their limited funds. Once LibFlicks is set up you can reallocate how you use your limited DVD purchase funds . One thought would be use library funding  to buy multiple copies of  popular/new release DVD's and fewer of other less popular  DVD's. Rather then buying multiple copies of less popular DVD's  just buy 1 of each for your system, if anyone wants that specific DVD , it will then still be available through reserving it.

7-LIBFLICKS LABELS/SHELVING
Place an adhesive sticker on each LibFlicks DVD case explaining the LibFlicks program. If LibFlicks DVD's are shelved intermingled with regular DVD's this will also help identify them.  


8-VARIABLE CIRCULATION LIMITS
-A variable limit can also be used to help spur acquisitions. Allow patrons who do not donate or somehow contribute to the LibFlicks collection  to take out say 1 LibFlicks DVD , while patrons who do contribute to the collection will be given a sticker on their library card attesting to a larger LibFlicks takeout limit. 
-If a person has no DVD's to donate or sell offer larger circulation limits if they pay a small yearly fee (This concept is based on what they do in Chula Vista CA,for their DVD collection  they charge a $20 year fee to take out up to 10 DVD's at a time, or $1.00 a DVD, no yearly fee.)

9-SEEDING FOR FASTER STARTUP
-The best price to pay for your LibFlicks DVD's is $0 (or $1/$2), however to build a large collection quickly, you might buy slightly more expensive Closeout DVD's. There are  companies offering  LEGAL new  recent release closeout DVD's for prices from $2-$6. Several  of them are mountainviewmovies.com,and closeoutexplosion.com (100 newer releases for  $379). Buy only from companies selling  known titles, there are many companies selling  unpopular unknown  "Public Domain" DVD's at very low prices. 
-Funding to buy these seed Libflicks DVD's could come from the reallocation of funds mentioned above, or by using a $20 yearly fee a la Chula Vista. If just 100 patrons at a branch paid $20 you'd have enough for around 500 closeout DVD's.

10-ACCEPT VIDEOTAPES 
 A a  lot of video tapes are being thrown out these days. Over the long run  DVD's will be making video tapes obsolete, however there are still a fair number of people who don't have DVD players. And there are still some films not yet available in DVD. So to help jump start  your collection you might want to accept both DVD and Videotape donations from patrons. If you decide to accept videotapes, as the space you have allocated for LibFlicks items fills to capacity, video tapes can be sent to branches with smaller LibFlicks collections, sold at booksales or  just thrown out.



I know some of the concepts here are already in use in some fashion at library systems throughout the country. What's probably  novel here is the idea of  rotating a systems collection to give patrons a constant stream of new DVD's to browse through.

That's it, I'd appreciate suggestions on any possible  flaws and  on any suggestions how to make it better .Also If anyone out there decides to implement this for their own system let me know. If I can tell the head of my local system that this is up and running successfully someplace, it will hopefully help to convince them to do so also.


Arnold Bob


  
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