Library Ideas, developer of the Freading ebook and Freegal music solutions for libraries, is launching the GoChip Beam, a new type of device for lending movies and television series. Each GoChip Beam device contains a small Wi-Fi router, rechargeable battery, and solid state storage preloaded with five feature length movies or an entire season of a television series, all enclosed in a 3.5″ x 1″ stick.
Media Spotlight: DVD Circ Holds Steady, For Now
By on November 27, 2012
Like VHS recorders before them, DVD and Blu-ray players will eventually vanish from U.S. households, as people transition toward options such as cloud storage for content that they own and streaming services for content they want to rent. And, like every media format transition before, this shift is posing challenges for libraries as they attempt to serve their existing patrons, plan for the future, and maintain circulation figures on limited collections budgets.
Patron Preferences Shift Toward Streaming
By on August 2, 2012
Library DVD borrowing has fallen sharply during the past year, and library users are rapidly migrating toward streaming services for both music and movies, according to the July 2012 edition of LJ’s Patron Profiles, which examines trends in Media Consumption and Library Use. DVDs are the top format for films loaned by libraries, and 27 percent of respondents said that libraries remain their primary source for movies—down from 36 percent in the first Patron Profiles survey, conducted less than a year ago. “A strong indicator of the changing media landscape is the rise of streaming and disc-by-mail services—both currently dominated by Netflix,” the report states.
Renee Hobbs Seeks Change in Law to Allow Teachers to Copy DVDs for Class Use
By on April 11, 2012
Showing a movie in K–12 schools isn’t as easy as loading a clip and pushing “play.” That’s because these educators can’t legally make copies from commercial DVDs—even for educational use.
