HIT> Subj-Specific Videos

[Betty Dawn Hamilton <bhamilt@TENET.EDU>]

Group,

Here are the responses to my TARGET question about Subject Specific
Videos.  It seems that most of us have the same problems.  I've
repeated the question that I posted and then tried to group those
responses that said basically the same thing.  Thank you to all who
responded.  As we plan for next year, I am going to introduce some
of these ideas to my principal and different departments.
***********************************************
QUESTION:

    As provider of videos and other AV software, do you follow
department requests in reserving certain videos for particular
classes, i.e. _Excaliber_ for 9th grade where students have a unit
on King Arthur and Knights.

    We have some teachers (as I'm sure all of you do) who want to
use the videos as time fillers, as entertainment, or for
substitutes instead of making lesson plans.

    How do you handle that ... or do you?  We have the American
Short Stories series of videos and all would be excellent
entertainment for 30 minute classes when we are on a short schedule
for various reasons, yet ALL students study the American short
story their junior year.

Consequently, the English department prefers that we not store
those with all of the others so they will be "fresh" for juniors
when they are in American Lit.

Thanks for suggestions.  I'll post a <HIT> summary in a week or so.
*******************************************************
Carol Simpson, Lois J. Roberts, Esther Sinofsky, Diane Durbin
all reminded me of copyright violations ... which we all need to be
aware of.

>Don't let 'em, Betty.  Tell them it is a violation of copyright.
>BTW, my book is out.....  (shameless plug!) (Group:  I'm including this
because Carol Simpson just wrote a book on copyrighting issues and I
happen to know that *she* knows what she is talking about;  I have asked
her about her book because I knew she was writing it. --  Carol, I hope
that is o.k.!  bh)

I am also concerned about some of the other uses you mention due
to copyright.  Home use only tapes can be shown for specific
instructional purposes (Sec. 110), but not for rewards.
********************************************
>Diane Durbin:

>There is more and more pressure to make *all* library materials
>available to students for checkout.  If that becomes common, there
>is more and more chance that students will have seen the video.
************************************************************
>From Shelley Lockhead:

>Ah, yes.  The "freshness" problem.  And the teachers have a point,
>of course.

>I let teachers who have grave concerns sign out the particular
>videos on an academic year loan.

>They show up in the opac as "out" and when a student wants one, I
>send him/her to the teacher, so that the teacher can make the
>decision.

>As time goes by, teachers note that either 1) no one wants their
>jewels, so they might as well leave them in libraryland, or 2)
>people do want them, and it is hard to say no to a student.
>Either way, a point is made (by the kids, not the mean old
>librarian) and the videos return to full access.  Or not - when
>something is really critical to a unit, a teacher is willing to
>put up with the inconvenience of saying "no".

>After a year or so of this method, we only have about 15 videos
>(out of 400+) that are in teacher's hands.
**************************************************************
From Sandy Scroggs:

  If we encourage children to read a book more than once, why
shouldn't that carry over to videos.  Why should you be the censor
of who can have what when?  I know some teachers do use videos as
time killers--I just don't think I should be the one to regulate
what they get.  It seems if we have to ask why someone wants
something, they may just quit using the library.
******************************************************************
Freom Theresa Toy:

My thinking on this topic is evolving.  I looked at the SLJ issue
that listed 60 award-winning videos and decided to get some
consciousness-raising tytles -- recycling, peer pressure, civil
rights, so that there would be something not tied into the
curriculum, which would serve the quasi entertainment category for
substitutes without taking "turf" quasi entertainment category for
substitutes without taking "turf"away from the subject teachers.

I am trying to organize options for the renting of video tapes,
which I understand is illegal.  I'd be curious in the creative
coping with this concern that avoids the need to document every use
of the VCR.
***********************************************************
From: "Susan L. Baumgardner 305-345-4937" <BAUMGAS1@mail.firn.edu>

The problem re: holding specific videos for certain departments or
grade levels has always been a problem.  At my high school in South
Florida, the department heads, administration and I came up with a
solution - its not foolproof, but it works most of the time.

Teachers have to complete a video form stating what video they are
showing, where it came from (school collection, rental, taped
off-air, etc.) and how it fits into their lesson plan.  This form
is given to their department head - the department heads know what
videos are for specific curriculum areas - therefore will not
approve request if the video is for another department or grade
level.

Teachers also check out VCR's from their department head, so the
dept. head knows who is showing videos on a particular day.  Our
biggest problems seem to be between the English Dept. and the
Social Studies Dept. because so many videos are appropriate for
both subject areas.

We are a very large high school (approx. 3000 students) and we do
have some slip-ups, but, for the most part, this method seems to
work.  It puts the responsibility of choosing appropriate videos
for subject area on the teacher and their respective department
head.  Hope this helps.
**********************************************************
From: Kari Inglis <KBW_INGLIS@MEC.OHIO.GOV>

I have made it a policy in the Library to buy those things that
will be available to all students at any time.   If a department
wishes to hold something sacred, then it can darn well purchase
that with their own money and I will spend mine for something else.
I really have not run into the problem you mention in the same way.
Rather I have been asked to purchase things that only the teachers
in a given department will use for their own purposes, but again I
have never bought them because I have always insisted these items
should remain in the Library for the use of all.

I do not regard those things as "Professional" purchases; that
money is spent for those things that will benefit teachers across
curricular lines.  I get little enough money to begin with, and
special departmental items should be requested by those areas -
as the principal invites them to do.  It gets tricky.  I have tried
to shift the moneys for buying bulbs for overheads but I still do
that.  However, I do not keep a fresh supply of transparency rolls.
We each find our own ways of making the most of our money.
************************************************************
Melissa Davis <mbdavis@tenet.edu>

   I do have a few videos marked for specific classes. This is a
hold-over from when we were a 7-12 library and the HS teachers
really didn't want their students to have seen "their" video
several times before they even got to HS. I don't see any problem
with the practice but will be interested in what others think.

   As far as time fillers, etc., seems to me this is an
administration decision. If the building principal is willing to
make a stand on this, great. If not, the librarian could really
make some enemies by trying to impose a unilateral decision. I
agree that it is a copyright violation but is it our responsibility
to police the faculty's usage?
*********************************************************
From: Diane Durbin <dianed@tenet.edu>

This sounds all too familiar.  I can understand it, but also I
can't understand it.  So a kid has seen the short story for
entertainment.  Shouldn't that enable him to view it the second
time (for class yet) with greater insight, ability to detect
foreshadowing, for instance, that he might have missed earlier.  He
might be looking for plot or characterization.  If a teacher is
doing his/her job right, he/she should have an answer ready for
those kids who say, "We've already seen this," and the answer
should involve using the film to study and understand the story,
not to entertain.
*************************************************************
From: Sarah Peckham <speckham@bluejay.creighton.edu>

1. the videos are entered into the computer catalog (I have
Mandarin) and I have entered the comment under restriction subclass
"For use by 9th grade English classes only."  These videos also
have a silver star by the call number to indicate they are
restricted. This seems to work fine.

Staff get really upset if videos that are a part of their class
curriculum are used as "fill" videos in other classes and then the
result is that they keep the videos in their files and don't give
them to the library to be catalogued.
*************************************************************
From: Paula Neal <MOHMIE@delphi.com>

I've been struggling with that issue ever since I became a
librarian.  I hope you get some good replies.  I know I hate it
when I want to use a video in connection with a particular unit and
the students have already seen it.  We get our videos from a
Central location.

As each librarian has to print out the list from a disc, I've been
known to delete a few that are really important to me.  Of course
that only solves my problem; it doesn't help anyone else.  I think
I would honor the English department request assuming they are
using all of the ones they want put aside.

However most of my elementary teachers would say it's ok for
students to see a video more than once.  Part of the whole language
concept at least in the primary grades is that students read the
same story over and over. So why not view it also more than once.
If a teacher has a particular focus or something the students are
to watch for, familiarity might be a plus.
******************************************************
From: Sandra M Barron <sbarron@tenet.edu>

I recently culled our collection of all copied tapes.  Divided the
rest according to the curriculum it served and shelved them by
department.  Since videos are purchased by department, division was
fairly easy.


If a different department wants to show a video, then that person
must get permission from the department chair who "owns" the video.
This removes the librarian from making a judgment about the
suitability of showing the film.

The school also has a standing rule that video presentations must
be tied to the curriculum in some way.  Most of the faculty follows
the guidelines.
***************************************************************
From: Cheryl Bybee <cbybee@tenet.edu>

In response to your call for how we handle subject specific videos,
I have always maintained that if  a video  is purchased for the
school library, it belongs to everyone at the school--just as the
books about stars and planets (or any other subject) are available
to anyone.  In the first place, I believe repetition enhances
learning.

In the second place, we are TRYING to promote the idea throughout
our school of the teachers as generalists rather than specialists
(to enhance the teaming concept and interdisciplinary units.)
Finally, I suppose I just don't want to put myself in the position
of policing the faculty on that issue.  If a teacher or dept. feels
strongly about a specific item, he or she should spend dept. funds
on it and store it in that department.