Course Materials: Course Guide 2: Collection Management

This week's assigned readings focus on the management of collections. Read the following:

(1) Management: Overview, (2) Management: Audio and Video Collection Development, (3) Management: Collection Development: Special Considerations for Audio and Video Collections, (4) Management: Collection Development: Elements of a Collection Development Policy, (5) Management: Collection Development: Links to Collection Development and Selection Policies, (6) Management: Collection Development: Audio and Video Selection, (7) Management: Collection Development: Selection Criteria, (8) Management: Collection Development: Selection Tools: Print and Online Directories and Guide, (9) Management: Collection Development: Selection Tools: Print and Online Reviews, and (10) Management: Collection Development: Audio and Video Lists and Award Winners.

Note some of your Sprout assignments are still centered on content of previous course material; that pattern will continue through the course.

Sprout # 5: Remote Audio Collections (Points Possible: 2 for posting, 1 for reply)
[Complete one of the following options and post your discussion and reply at Oncourse]

5.1: Radio Webcasts - Go to Radio and Streaming Audio at Multimedia Seeds and locate a radio webcast. Explore music genres such as Christian, Native American music, or other genre of your choice. Listen to some radio programming on the web.

Which station did you find most interesting? What are some advantages and disadvantages to this technology for radio listening? Describe a genre and how radio stations are used to convey information to listeners. Speculate on the future of web radio.

5.2: Public Radio Webcasts - Go to Radio and Streaming Audio at Multimedia Seeds and select a radio program from National Public Radio (NPR) and/or CBC Radio (Canada). Listen to live or archived programs.

Provide an overview of the program's focus. Is it a program you would like to listen to regularly if you had the time? Why or why not? What's the value of the archives?

5.3: Streaming Audio - Read the off-site article The Educational Applications of Streaming Audio: Accessible, Do-It-Yourself Multimedia (PDF) by Grover C. Furr III at The Technology Source. Or, explore the other articles at the bottom of the Radio and Streaming Audio page at Multimedia Seeds. How could school, public, or private libraries make use of web radio and streaming audio? What's an effective way to quickly access specific archives?

Describe how you think libraries can make use of streaming audio technology. Provide specific, examples and explain the benefits.

5.4: Remote Audio Collections - (Complete both of the following activities) Go to Remote Music Collections at Multimedia Seeds. Do some song sampling. Did you discover anything new?

Identify three sites that you think are the best for song samples or downloads. These can be general sites or related to a particular area such as Christian, patriotic, or kids.

Select one of the audio collections highlighted at Multimedia Seeds or identify another online collection in your interest area. Evaluate the collection and presentation of the collection.

Summarize the collection. Discuss who might be interested in this collection. How might it be used in an educational or entertainment setting? What would you do to make it more effective?

This week's readings give attention to a number of issues related to managing a collection of audio and video materials. The assigned readings begin at:

(1) Management: Issues in Audio and Video Collection Development and continue to (2) Management: Issues: Censorship, Challenges, and Reconsideration, (3) Management: Issues: Rating Systems, Labels, and Permission Slips, (4) Management: Issues: Copyright and Licensing Issues, and (5) Management: Issues: Video Permission Form.

Sprout # 6: Video Collections (Points Possible: 2 for posting, 1 for reply)
[Complete one of the following options and post your discussion and reply at Oncourse]

6.1: Movie Resources Online - Explore some of your favorite movies. Go to the Internet Movie Database and AllMovieGuide. These are two online sources for movie information. You might also try some of the others at Videotape / DVD Collections at Multimedia Seeds.

Compare two sources. Include your analysis of how these might or might not be useful to libraries, librarians, and their patrons. Provide specific ideas and examples.

6.2: Library Video Collection - Many school and public libraries have large instructional and/or educational video collections. Explore a local library video collection.

Describe the collection. Discuss areas of strength and weakness. What changes would you recommend.

6.3: Video Game Collection - Go to Video Game Technology: The Big Picture at Multimedia Seeds. Explore the options. Some public libraries maintain video game collections. Get into the debate related to video game collections in libraries.

Do you think public libraries should have video game collections? Why or why not? Discuss the formats. Discuss the pros and cons of starting or maintaining a video game collection. Build a case for both options, and end with stating your position. How would you decide?

6.4: Video Collection - Some people view video collections in a library as a waste of space, time, and money. Others go farther and say they are a threat to society. They compete with local video stores, discourage reading, waste time, and promote lazy, overweight citizens. Do you agree or disagree?

The board is holding a hearing to discuss a request for additional funding to support an expanded video collection in your library. You have two minutes (about a paragraph) to take a stand on a specific aspect of this issue. For example, you might focus on the merits of “how-to” videos or the violent language in rap music. Your description should include your stand, supportive evidence, and at least one example to support your perspective. After your initial posting, it would be interesting if some people would take opposing positions during the discussion.