In response to changing technologies, the Dwight Marvin Library, Instructional Media Center, and Instructional Technology (IT) have defined a timeline to phase out campus support for VHS video format. VHS format has been largely replaced by DVD, Blu-Ray, and online streaming video. Continued support for this obsolete format now is becoming expensive to maintain and to justify. As a result, by Fall 2019, campus support for VHS content will be eliminated.
Our joint proposal was endorsed by the Academic Senate’s Instructional Resources Committee at its February meeting and was announced at the most recent Senate meeting. Here is a summary of the plan with a timeline for each phase of the project:
Summer 2017
The Instructional Media Center (IMC)’s 2000-title collection will be reviewed. Titles already available in the IMC’s DVD collection and streaming video sources will be withdrawn. VHS titles with known use will be kept in the IMC collection. As IT updates instructor consoles in campus classrooms to the new digital build, VHS players will be omitted.
Academic year 2017-18
Faculty who use VHS titles in the IMC collection will be contacted to determine if needed content is available in DVD/streaming formats. As installed VHS players fail in older classroom consoles, they will be removed and not replaced. IT temporarily will provide VHS playback equipment in these classrooms by request or previous arrangement.
Summer 2018
IMC/Library will seek permission for transfer of VHS content to DVD as copyright permits, for a small number of titles which are not available in DVD/streaming formats and where no suitable substitute is available. IT removes VHS playback from all instructor classroom consoles.
Academic year 2018-19
Faculty known to use VHS content that is not available on any other format are informed by December 2018 that content will not be available as of Fall 2019. IT provides VHS playback equipment in classrooms by request or previous arrangement.
Summer 2019
Any remaining VHS titles are available for loan to use on personally owned devices only. VHS playback equipment is no longer supported by the college and any existing inventory will be removed from classrooms or the library.
Department chairs and faculty with concerns about this time frame and planned sunset of campus support for VHS format are encouraged to contact Brenda Hazard, Library Director, or Bob Racette, Instructional Technologies Director. Our intention is to provide ample time for the campus to respond to this plan with minimal impact on the teaching and learning mission of the College.
Thank you,
Brenda Hazard, Library Director
Bob Racette, Instructional Technologies Director
Published: Fri, 07 Apr 2017 20:19:23 +0000 by b.hazard