Videocassettes/DVDs

Revised January 2003

General Comments

This collection consists of nonfiction and fiction videocassettes/DVDs in a wide variety of general subjects for all ages.

Adult Collection:

• The intended audience includes seventh grade to adult.
• Videos/DVDs are categorized and shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System.
• All general subjects are purchased.
• Feature films and plays are selected with special emphasis on classics, long-term popular films, musicals, and award winners.
• Selections acquired for young adult patrons have an emphasis on current, popular themes that contribute to the development and pleasure of this age group.

Children's Collection:

• The intended audience includes preschool to sixth grade.
• Nonfiction videos/DVDs are categorized and shelved as Easy and Junior Nonfiction. Selections are intended to be useful and relevant to children's everyday needs, interests, and activities. Subjects include a wide variety of general topics with emphasis on children's developmental needs and mental growth. Concept films, folk tales, and fairytales are included.
• Fiction videos/DVDs are categorized and shelved as Easy and Junior Fiction. Popular and feature films, adaptations of children's books (i.e., Berenstain Bears, Clifford, Ramona), and Walt Disney films are included.

Development Plan

The primary goal of this collection is to provide the resources and services necessary to meet the educational, recreational, cultural, and informational needs of the community. The collection is intended to complement, rather than compete with, local video rental stores by offering a different collection focus. In order to meet these goals, the Library:

• strives to provide a broad range of videos/DVDs to meet the variety of likes and needs of all patrons.
• strives to provide a collection of high quality performances and accurate content to meet the needs and enjoyment of the video's intended audience.
• evaluates video/DVD programs as a whole and not on the basis of particular scenes or segments. A video/DVD will not be excluded from the collection because it presents all aspects of life honestly or because it exhibits frankness of expression.
• evaluates patron requests either through reviews, or knowledge and popularity of the video/DVD. Patron requests are given serious consideration and added to the collection as warranted and as budget allows.
• evaluates the currency and timeliness of the material. Videos/DVDs on rapidly changing or ephemeral subjects are not purchased.
• purchases multiple copies of popular titles when patron demand warrants and as budget allows.
• purchases videos/DVDs where commercialism is minimal, not distracting from theme or content.

Influencing Factors

Purchases and buying patterns are determined in large part by:

• present and potential relevance to the community.
• patron requests.
• circulation statistics.
• budget constraints.
• shelf space.

Retention/Weeding

Informal weeding takes place continuously as videocassettes/DVDs are checked as they are circulated and/or shelved. The following criteria are considered when making the decision to retain, replace, or weed:

• significance and relevance to current classification holdings
• presence of multiple copies
• availability of new works
• titles in a series
• circulation statistics
• age and physical condition
• shelf space