[Publib] Protecting DVDs from theft -- time to let go?

[Linda Ballard]

Is anyone successfully housing their less "attractive" DVDs out in the
public area without any security system in place?  We double house all
our DVDs and our popular CDs.  Patrons turn in browser cards to pick up
the actual items at the circulation desk.  This is time consuming at the
busy circulation desk (and takes the staff member away from it) and
twice as much work for shelvers.  We turned off our Checkpoint system
several years ago.  We decided after looking at the cost that it was
probably more expensive to continue to use the system than replace what
disappeared - most of what we lose isn't out-and-out stolen but are
items that were checked out but not returned.  The gates were left up
with the hope that really dumb thieves would be deterred, so some people
may still think we have an operational security system.  

 

Years ago, with some trepidation, we put our classical CDs out in the
public area.  Theft doesn't seem to have been a problem.  We are now
wondering about moving DVDs that are not feature films or TV series
(basically everything except 791.43 and 791.45 Dewey numbers) out into
the public area.  It would free up real estate in the workroom, where we
are running out of space for new DVDs and popular CDs, and also might
result in a higher circulation of these non-fiction DVDs.  A few of
these are probably going to walk for sure, but I would hesitate to hide
select DVDs in this group behind the desk as it would presuppose
borrowers of particular titles or subject areas are more prone to
dishonesty than other folks, which may not be at all the case.  

 

As some have pointed out, most books cost as much or more than DVDs, but
we treat the latter like they were solid gold.  They are more
concealable, and therefore possibly more attractive to a thief, but it
does seem like we are spending an awful lot of time and money protecting
DVDs. 

 

Thoughts pro or con? Please respond to me directly and, if there is
interest, I will post a synopsis of responses to the list. Thanks!

 

 

Linda V. Ballard

Director, University City Public Library

6701 Delmar Blvd.

University City MO 63130

314.727.3150; fax, 314.727.6005

 

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