Purpose
The purpose of the Media collection is to support the instruction and research needs of Washtenaw Community College faculty and students. In addition, the collection supports present and future teaching needs in all fields of study offered at WCC. Emphasis is placed on faculty requests in support of the curriculum.
Selector
The media librarian solicits recommendations from faculty. Faculty can request a preview of media when available. The media librarian will help facilitate any preview orders or rentals for one-time use with the assistance of Collection Development. Approval to order is the responsibility of the media librarian.
It is not the practice of the Library to reimburse faculty who have ordered and paid for media material without first consulting with the media librarian. (All orders must stem from the media librarian).
Formats Collected
The Media collection includes streaming videos from a variety of providers, including Kanopy, Films on Demand, Swank, Alexander Street, ICE Learning Center, and Symptom Media.
Streaming licenses often provide one year of access to the content, and may not necessarily include Public Performance Rights. Some streaming media is available via subscriptions, and titles available through subscriptions may be added and dropped over time by the content provider, sometimes without warning. The media librarian will make every effort to keep faculty apprised of changes to content availability.
The library is unable to provide access to video content through subscription services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and similar platforms, as they do not offer institutional access. Further, any titles they may produce are typically not available for purchase by libraries.
Although the Library did at one time purchase videocassettes in the VHS format; DVDs; audiocassettes; compact discs; 16mm films, laser videodiscs, slides and records, the Library will no longer purchase these formats.
The media collection covers all subject classifications in support of all academic programs at the college. However, it is not possible nor is it desirable to evenly divide the collection among the subject areas.
Selection Criteria
The media librarian in conjunction with faculty recommendations selects media material for purchase from a number of sources: reviews, previews, and publisher catalogs. The media librarian will purchase any faculty or librarian request that falls within the collection development guidelines and for which adequate funds exist. If the media librarian decides not to purchase a requested title, he/she will explore rental sources through Collection Development. Items selected for purchase will be further evaluated according to the following specific criteria:
- Accuracy/authoritativeness
- Timeliness of information
- Technical compatibility
- Technical quality
- Aesthetic appeal
- Cost
Cataloging
All media materials are to be fully cataloged in the online library catalog.
Weeding and Evaluation
The media collection shall be periodically examined to determine continued relevance to faculty and student needs and selection criteria. Factors such as usage, and the accuracy and timeliness of the information presented shall also be considered. The media librarian will inform faculty of any weeding projects relating to the collection.
Gifts
The media librarian following the library’s Gift Policy shall accept gift selections. Gifts shall be retained for the collection only if they meet the general selection criteria listed above.
Copyright Compliance
The Library complies with the United States Copyright Law (Title 15 U.S. Code), in both intent and practice. Materials acquired by acquisition or donation must acknowledge the rights of the copyright owner-the exclusive rights of reproduction, adaptation, publication, and display - as stated generally in Section 106.
All licenses or permissions granted by copyright owners to the Library will be kept on file until materials are withdrawn from the collection.