Rockridge DVD Project Frequently Asked Questions

The first seven FAQs are about the new agreement between the Rockridge DVD Project and the Oakland Public Library (OPL):

What part of our original agreement with OPL was affected?
Our original agreement with OPL specified that our donated DVDs would reside permanently in the Rockridge Branch Library, subject to normal culling out (rarely used or damaged library materials can be removed or shifted to other branches). This agreement was consistent with current OPL policy under which patrons can place "holds" on books but not on DVDs or CDs.

What prompted our new agreement?
OPL is considering a plan to allow holds on DVDs and CDs; and they are also studying whether to "float" these materials. "Floating" means that when DVDs are returned by a patron, they go back on the shelf at the branch where they are returned and are not returned to the branch where they originated. This proposed new system would be in conflict with our original agreement with OPL that Rockridge DVD Project DVDs would reside permanently at the Rockridge Branch Library.

What is different in our new agreement?
In return for allowing the donated DVDs from the Rockridge DVD Project to float, if and when OPL implements that system, the OPL has agreed to pay the costs for cataloging and providing security cases for our donated DVDs now. This saves us $7 per DVD, a total of $20,000.

What are the benefits of the new agreement?
- The total cost of the DVD Project has been reduced from $33,000 to $13,000.
- The donated DVDs will be on the shelves in Rockridge sooner.
- The donated DVDs will remain exclusively in Rockridge, as originally promised, until OPL implements a floating DVD system - should that policy be implemented.
- If a floating DVD system is eventually implemented, Rockridge Library patrons would be able to request any DVD from the entire OPL collection to be delivered to them at Rockridge. Upon return, those would be placed on the shelves in Rockridge - so this may well result in more DVDs in the Rockridge Branch rather than fewer.

What is the downside of our new agreement?
Some of our donated DVDs may migrate to other branches of the Oakland Public Library. They could still be requested and delivered to the Rockridge Branch, but patrons would not be able to browse through them on the shelves in Rockridge.

I already made a donation under the old agreement. If I approve of this new agreement, what should I do?
Nothing.

I already made a donation under the old agreement. If I do not approve of this new agreement, what should I do?
You will receive an opt-out form in the mail. Please fill it our and mail it back to us. We will verify that the donation amount you specified matches our records and then send you a check in the amount of your donation.

General FAQs:

Does the Oakland Public Library (OPL) administration approve of this project?
The project has the blessings of the OPL administration. Gerry Garzon, Associate Director of the Oakland Public Library has the following to say: "During these difficult economic times, all of our libraries, and certainly Rockridge Library, are experiencing heavy use by our patrons. Our libraries play a vital role in their communities helping people find and maintain jobs and manage their lives. People of all ages, income, races and educational levels use the Oakland Public Library. It is especially critical when people are looking for alternatives to purchasing of books, DVDs, music, cable and internet connections at home, that they can turn to the Library to provide free access to all of that and more. We appreciate and value this Rockridge DVD project and know that they will be received by a grateful community." OPL also lent the services and expertise of Randy McDevitt-Parks, Collection Management Librarian for the City, as well as barcode scanning equipment to assist in building the DVD database.

What is RCPC's role in the project?
RCPC lent the Rockridge DVD Project $13,000 to purchase the DVDs from Videots because there was not enough time to fundraise beforehand. In addition, RCPC is the fiscal sponsor of the project lending its tax ID for charitable purposes.

Are the Rockridge Branch librarians involved in the project?
Though not involved in the fundraising effort itself, Rockridge Branch Head Librarian Pat Lichter has allocated additional shelf space for the DVDs, and lent Rockridge librarians Gay Ducey, Susy Moorhead and Eve Buckner to the project. Together with Randy McDevitt-Parks from downtown, they sorted through the DVDs, culling duplicates and unsuitable titles, selecting 2,877 discs for the branch. (Additional details can be seen in the May, 2010 Rockridge News article reproduced on our Articles/Links page.)

Has the library accepted DVD donations before?
Yes. In June 2008, Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL) voted to use $200.00 to purchase 40 DVDs at $5 each from the Global Video store on Telegraph Ave. which was closing. These were cataloged in house and placed in the library with stickers reading "A Gift of FORL."

Where did the DVDs come from, and what did they cost?
The DVDs were selected and purchased from the extensive specialty inventory of the now closed Videots store in the Elmwood district of College Avenue. Videots was well known for unusual and hard to find DVDs including a large selection of documentaries, films of interest to cinephiles and PBS series such as Masterpiece Mystery! Each DVD cost $4.00 and has been maintained in as new condition by state of the art polishing equipment.

Aren't DVDs an outdated technology?
DVDs will be relevant as archival material for many years to come. As digital media, they can be played on several generations of DVD equipment already as well as most computers. The estimated 17,000 (and counting) movie and TV titles available as streaming video from Netflix are eclipsed by the more than 100,000 available on DVD. In addition, the library collections are intended to serve all the community, including those who cannot afford the devices and fees associated with streaming content. DVDs at the library are free to library card holders.

In the Videots collection, a large percentage of the movie and TV titles are unavailable as streaming content, and many likely will remain so as demand plays a role in the separate licensing agreements necessary for using a movie or TV episode as streaming content. Licensing agreements are also frequently time limited, unlike a hard copy DVD. As an example, many of the vintage films our librarians selected to flesh out the Rockridge Branch's archive of important films by period or director, most of the documentaries and almost all the British TV series are unavailable as streaming content.