Source: https://library.ptsem.edu/policies/vhs-media-policy
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 22:17:57+00:00

Document:
This document describes the policy and practices of PTS Library regarding reformatting and use of VHS media, with particular focus on what assistance the Library can legally and practically provide to faculty in the use of video content in VHS format for teaching and research.
This document incorporates guidelines from Video At Risk: Strategies for Preserving Commercial Video Collections in Libraries, which is essentially an exegesis of Subsection 108(c) of U.S. copyright law.
§108(c) applies to published works in any format, but regarding VHS media, the terms “deteriorating” and “obsolete” are key. Whereas “lost” and “stolen” are self-explanatory and “damaged” suggests physical damage (e.g. a mangled or broken tape or a crushed casing), the term “deteriorating” is subjective and not defined by §108(c). There are two schools of thought here among media preservation experts. While some argue that magnetic tape is continually deteriorating by its very nature — that is, in its chemical composition—the widely accepted practice in research libraries requires perceptible degradation of the video signal (visual dropout, audio dropout, color loss or alteration, etc.) to justify making a replacement copy under §108(c). However, the only way to determine such degradation is to observe the video signal during playback in real time; there are no established standards for measuring deterioration, and such assessments are very time consuming.
Counter-intuitively, VHS is not an obsolete format at this time, legally speaking. As §108(c) defines it, “a format shall be considered obsolete if the machine or device necessary to render perceptible a work stored in that format is no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace.” Although stand-alone VHS players are no longer manufactured, “combination” VHS/DVD player-recorders are still manufactured, since there is still a market for consumer-level reformatting machines.
For these reasons, preemptive reformatting is not a legally safe practice at this time. When this situation changes, the Library will update its policy accordingly.
Although technically the Library holds 1,700 VHS items, they do not represent a coherent collection or hold uniform relevance for the Seminary’s curriculum. The Collection Development Librarian, Dr. Jeremy Wallace, has undertaken an assessment of the situation based on library data. Many VHS titles indicate 20 to 30 year-old videos on scientific topics or social issues which the Library will review for preservation needs. Many others are out of scope, such as children’s content and mainstream Hollywood movies. Beyond this broad overview, Dr. Wallace has specifically assessed VHS items that (a) had been placed on reserve in the last 10 years (22 tapes) or (b) had been checked out 15 or more times in the last 5 years (91 tapes). Of these 113 tapes, 73 titles (64%) have already been acquired in DVD format. Eight titles are available on DVD but at a high cost; these items will be considered for acquisition only on request, not proactively. Four items are in scope but not available on DVD. The remainder are out of scope or outdated.
The Library encourages faculty members to contact the Collection Development Librarian in advance when they need or expect to utilize Library-held, VHS-only content for teaching or research. In some cases a DVD equivalent may be available. If not, the faculty member may have other options under §107 (fair use; see Appendix 2 below).
This section outlines practical options for faculty members who want to utilize VHS content for teaching or research.
Given sufficient advance notice, the Collection Development Librarian will determine the appropriate course of action.
Unused DVD: Library staff will search for “an unused replacement” in the marketplace “at a fair price.” If a DVD equivalent is available at a reasonable price, the Library will acquire it.
Unused VHS: If an unused DVD equivalent is not available at a fair price but an unused VHS copy is, the Library cannot legally make a replacement copy under §108(c). See option B below.
Replacement copy under §108(c): If an unused replacement is not available at a fair price, in theory the library could make a replacement copy under §108(c) if, and only if, the VHS tape is “deteriorating.” In practice, the Library is not equipped or staffed to assess the VHS tape for perceptible degradation of the video signal (see “Clarifications of §108(c)” above), nor is the Library equipped or staffed to reformat the content to a digital format even if degradation were to be evident. See option B below.
Note on faculty-owned VHS tapes: If a VHS tape is a personal copy of the faculty member, not held by the Library, the applicable option is B above.
Note on DVD players in classrooms: As of this writing, IT intends to install a DVD player in every classroom that lacks one. Check with IT Services in advance to ensure that the necessary equipment is available in a given classroom before expecting to play a DVD in class.

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