This semester, thanks to Lilly Library's tentative new circulation policy, Duke undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff are able to check out video cassettes from the library for viewing. At the end of the semester, the library staff will reevaluate and improve the policy.
After conducting a survey last year, library officials extended the amount of time that faculty and graduate students could keep a video. Also, for the first time, undergraduates are allowed to view videos outside of Lilly.
"I teach a house course so the new policy is really helpful since we previously had to check videos out under our sponsor professor's name," said senior Jason Ward. "Anything that the University can do to encourage students to take initiative in their own education and the education of their peers is great."
Laura Cousineau, Lilly's head librarian, said the updated policy has evoked positive responses from patrons.
"We were originally concerned that faculty and graduate students would try to reserve class materials at the last minute and the videos would be unavailable," she said. "But this is currently not a problem as most patrons have returned videos promptly and in good condition."
Although the library staff seems satisfied with giving the community more video-viewing freedom, Jane Gaines, director of the Program in Film and Video expressed her concern about the new policy.
"We lose too many valuable, rare videos when students are allowed to remove them from the library," she said. "Also, students are able to access popular videos at Blockbuster."
Some students agreed. Senior Julia Leonzio said, "Allowing people to take videos out of the library may cause problems. If a class is assigned to watch a video and one student is irresponsible and doesn't return it, then the entire class is in trouble."
As of this semester, undergraduates, graduate students and staff are allowed next-day returns for non-restricted materials, and three-hour, in-building loans for restricted materials. Restricted materials are those that are difficult to obtain, such as foreign films, or those that are rare and expensive. Patrons may not renew their loans, and are limited to three audio-visual materials. However, with departmental and library approval, graduate students may be upgraded to faculty status in their loan restrictions.
Faculty may borrow videos for three days, except for restricted materials, and may check out reserve materials to use during a specific class period. They also are limited to three audio-visual materials at a time. However, they can renew their loans.
DVDs are also available for loan, though laser discs are not, as few people have access to laser disc players.
Since the library plans to review the current policy at the end of the semester, Cousineau said the staff would appreciate feedback from those who have borrowed or plan to borrow videos in the future.
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