Audio-visual resources

The Libraries acquire compact disc, video and DVD resources as needed in fulfillment of our mission.

The great majority of our videos have been acquired at the request of teaching faculty. Holdings in art and architecture and the applied social sciences, together with video versions of commercially released films, comprise the strongest parts of our collections.

Most videos in our collections have been purchased to support instruction, a key part of our mission. Videos related to instruction are almost never bought other than by faculty request, since it is the teaching faculty who can best anticipate curriculum needs. Requests for new or replacement videos are considered against other possible uses of firm order funds.

Selection of films as an art form and means of cultural expression has traditionally been the responsibility of the bibliographer responsible for Communications Studies. We have honored many faculty requests and have also acquired outstanding films from Hollywood and abroad. When possible, we have chosen closed-captioned versions of foreign films over dubbed versions.

We attempt to be flexible and forward-looking with respect to changing physical formats. As the necessary hardware for playing DVDs becomes more common and most titles become available, we will increasingly prefer this format to videotape.

We seek to build strong collections of recordings in classical music and representative collections in a wide range of other musical genres. These materials are acquired chiefly from the music funds, and in consultation with the Department of Music. We have duplicated selected performances from the musical canon on CD even though these were held in vinyl. We do not acquire audio books.

Revised 12/2000