Video Collection Relocation Frequently Asked Questions
Several years ago, the Library, IT, and a group of Film Studies faculty discussed the possibility of consolidating the film collections on campus and also making the collections more readily accessible via Odysseus. As a result, we developed a proposal to move the collection from Madill to ODY, which would serve as a good first-step in the direction of more ready access. We have also made an effort to catalog the video collection at SLU and to make it searchable through a special search feature on Odysseus. We know that we have more work to do on campus in terms of providing easy access to all the video collections (including the collection currently housed in Modern Languages), but we think we have made a good first step by bringing the 6,000 or so currently cataloged videos together at one secure physical location, a location that is available to faculty and students over 105 hours a week.
SLU faculty, students and staff can borrow videos. The loan periods are:
7 days for faculty
5 days for staff
3 days for students
SLU faculty and students can request videos at the Circulation/Reserve Desk in ODY. Assistance in searching the video collection will also be offered at the Circulation/Reserve Desk. Browsing of the title list is also possible. One of the features available through Odysseus is the capability of placing a “hold” on a video that is currently checked out. You will be notified via email when the video is available for pickup. For more information on the video collection at ODY, please contact Rhonda Courtney at x5479.
IT will continue to coordinate video viewing on the campus television network.
There are two ways to request a video viewing:
- There is an online request form: http://www.stlawu.edu/library/network_showings.html
- Or email your request to: infotech@stlawu.edu
Unfortunately, the current campus cable network does not provide for the viewing of DVD videos. However, there are a number of other options available for those interested in viewing DVD videos:
- You may view a DVD video on your own PC, if it has a DVD drive.
- ODY 140A Computer Lab has 13 computer workstations outfitted with DVD drives. There are many other locations on campus with individual DVD viewing capabilities: http://www.stlawu.edu/library/viewing_videos.html
- There will soon be portable DVD players available in ODY, and we also plan to make laptops with DVD capabilities available soon.
- TV/DVD/VHS viewing stations will also soon be available in ODY. Headphones are available for loan with a DVD, or you may bring your own.
- Finally, for auditorium/theatre viewing, you might want to consider one of the following campus locations: Bloomer Auditorium, Griffiths 123, Hepburn 218, Carnegie 10, and Richardson 15. Use the link cited in #2 directly above to schedule any of these group viewing spaces.
IT, the Library, and Film Studies faculty have explored in the past various alternatives to the video viewing system that currently exists. This ongoing conversation will involve a number of different groups on campus and eventually a capital commitment to support the creation of a new kind of infrastructure to allow for campus-wide viewing of videos.
Every department and program on campus has an acquisitions budget allocation from the Library that can be used to request new videos. You may contact your library liaison or department chair, who will let you know how that process works and/or initiate an order online at the following link: http://www.stlawu.edu/library/libacq/book-video_request.htm
To see a list of new videos, check this link: http://www.stlawu.edu/library/new_videos.html
Bart Harloe
8/22/06
