LIBRARY COLLECTION POLICY STATEMENTS

I. PROGRAM INFORMATION

The Wong Audiovisual Center (AVC) was established to provide a collection of audiovisual resources in a variety of formats in all fields of science, social science and humanities to support curriculum requirements and research needs at all university levels. Emphasis is given to the acquisition of materials that support instructional objectives.

The Center also makes available a video collection of feature films of educational, cultural, and artistic value. The latter, unless specifically requested by faculty for instructional or research purposes, are purchased with student fee board funds.

Areas of strength include Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Asian Studies, the graphic and performing arts, ethnographic materials, linguistics, human resources, marine sciences, environmental studies, social and political issues, international studies, ethnic studies, history, public affairs, and women's studies. The video collection is not evenly divided among subject areas. Not all subjects are equally suited for video presentation, nor are all subject areas equally represented in the AV market. Nearly every discipline, however, has educational materials available in the collection. There is a strong expectation on the part of the campus community that the collection will contain materials on a broad range of topics.

II. COORDINATION OF COLLECTING RESPONSIBILITIES

The Wong Audiovisual Center houses the main collection of media on the Manoa campus, with the exception of the Law School, the Medical School and School of Nursing which take care of most of their own AV needs.

Highest priority is given to materials requested by university faculty as essential to accomplish teaching objectives or research needs, but primary responsibility for collection development is held by the video librarian, in consultation with the discipline selectors. All requests are expected to meet criteria outlined in Section 5 of this document. Music related audiovisual materials are selected and funded by the music selector. Hawaiian media is selected and funded by the Hawaiian curator. The Pacific curator funds AV purchases, budget permitting. Other selectors, especially those in the Asia collection, occasionally select and fund media items. Because a video title can vary widely in cost depending on the source, all video orders should be reviewed by the video librarian to determine the least expensive source.

III. GUIDELINES TO MATERIALS COLLECTED OR EXCLUDED

Language: Primarily English language, but also representative foreign language feature films (with subtitles) and documentaries from Asia and the Pacific islands (often without subtitles). The audiotape collection seeks to provide foreign language instruction tapes for all major languages.

Chronological: No limitations.

Geographic: No limitations, but the emphasis is on western and Asian cultures. Hawaii and the Pacific Islands are collected as comprehensively as possible. An attempt is made to collect all significant videos on Asia. Representative coverage is provided for other parts of the world.

Date of Publication: No limitations, but the emphasis is on current materials. Retrospective materials are acquired to replace damaged items or to fulfill specific requests. Classic documentary films are actively purchased.

Type/Format of Material Collected:

Audio: The preferred format for music is compact disc. 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, and 78 rpm phonodiscs and audio tapes (cassette and open reel) are also collected if they are the only formats available. Cassette tapes are acquired for spoken material. Recorded books are excluded. For poetry, an author reading his/her own work is preferred.

Visual: The preferred format for documentaries is VHS videotape. For features films the preferred format is DVD. Kits, slides, videodiscs, 16mm films and filmstrips are rarely acquired.

Hawaiian and Pacific Islands material is acquired in any format available. The preservation copy of Hawaiian and Pacific material is preferably made on 16mm film, super VHS or _" rather than VHS.

Printed Resources: Reference materials to support the use of media, including directories, handbooks, videographies and selection tools are acquired.

Treatment: Circulation and performance of library media materials must conform to the producer's licensing agreements.

IV. ADDITIONAL OR SUPPLEMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

Preservation Considerations: The media collection is intended to be a collection of lasting instructional and research value. Every effort is made to store and maintain the materials so as to minimize damage and wear. Dying and obsolete formats are replaced on newer formats when both appropriate and possible.

Deselection: Weeding or deaccession is an integral part of the collection development process. Formal weeding of the total collection based on low use statistics is completed systematically every three or four years. Informal review is ongoing.

Programs are evaluated on the basis of circulation count and last action date, currency and content. Special attention is given to rapidly changing fields, e.g., science, technology, economics, geography, politics and government and to materials containing geographically incorrect information, outdated clothing or automobiles and antiquated presentation styles. Programs which have been superseded are also candidates for withdrawal. Hawaii, Pacific and Asia materials are less likely to be recommended for deaccession than programs in other geographic areas. Federal depository items cannot be withdrawn.

Withdrawal decisions are initiated by the video librarian and reviewed/approved by subject selectors. Each program must be physically reviewed for condition and for historical currency.

Replacement copies for missing, worn/damaged videos are ordered only if the quality and usefulness of the item warrants it. Subject selectors may be involved in the replacement process if they choose to do so. Withdrawn videotapes are replaced with DVD format whenever possible.

Gifts: Gifts are evaluated against the same criteria as purchased materials. Only lawfully made or purchased media items are accepted as gifts. All gifts are evaluated for physical quality.

Duplication: Only AV items which are very heavily used for instructional purposes are purchased as duplicate copies.

Closed Captioning: When available closed captioned videos are purchased to serve both the hearing impaired and students who are learning English.

Considerations for Purchasing Documentary Videos:

When selecting programs for the collection the following criteria are considered.

· Balance within existing collection. Anticipated use. Do we have similar titles? How often do they circulate? Do we need more videos on this topic? How does title compare with other videos in the collection?
· Probable useful life. Will subject matter or treatment immediately become outdated? Is the film outdated? Is currency important?
· Purchase price. Are there other similar titles available at a lower cost? Can we get a discount? Does another vendor sell the video for less? Is the title overpriced? Selected programs should be commensurate with price, need, potential use and budgeting considerations.
· Audience. Is the video college level? Who will use the video? Have there been requests for videos on the topic? Relevance to UH curriculum. Does video support instructional objectives? Relation to University's areas of excellence. Would video be more appropriate in a public library?
· Reputation of producer/distributor/filmmaker. For example, shows appearing on PBS are determined to be quality programming and are therefore purchased if deemed necessary by content, lack of subject in the existing collection, extending existing subject coverage, or providing new, up-to-date information on a topic.
· Awards/recognition. TV broadcast, theater distribution, publicity, critical acclaim, film festivals, favorable reviews from recognized, authoritative review sources.
· Availability from other sources. Are other funding sources available? How quickly is item needed?
· Review. Should faculty member/library selector be consulted? Should the video be previewed before purchasing?
· Interdisciplinary potential. If funds are limited, is the title too specialized? How many people on campus can use it?
· Production values - organization, thoroughness, accuracy, authority, objectivity, length, aesthetic appeal. Is the video too superficial?
· Does the film have potential for stimulating discussion?
· Would the information be better conveyed by a book or another format?
· Would it be embarrassing not to have this title in the collection? Will it become a classic?
· Does the program provide information or presentation that is unique to or only available in the video format?

Considerations for Purchasing Feature Films:

· "Classic films." The most important works of acclaimed directors, producers, actors, actresses or other significant personalities in the film world. Films which are critically acclaimed. Films appearing on "Best" lists. Recipients of film awards.
· Films of biographical, sociological, psychological or historical interest. In other words, films which contribute to teaching in disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology and English.
· Diverse collection representing all genres, countries of origin, important social, political and economic themes.
· All films on Hawaii and a large selection of films on the Pacific Islands.
· Adaptations of literary classics. Musicals.
· The best of American independent cinema.
· Well developed collection of Asian feature films.
· Films of ethnic interest, especially Asian American.
· Artistic merit. Film as art, fine cinematography, sets, costume, animation, special effects.
· Films which are an important source of information on a country and its culture or are an important documentation of the times.
· Films which provide insight into human and social needs or which focus on specific social problems, e.g., drug abuse, crime, breakdown of the family, environmental issues, immigration, prostitution.
· No colorized films are purchased. Dubbed videos are purchased only when a version with subtitles is not available.

Date compiled: 12/00 Compiler: Linda Engelberg

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