A comment from our Children's Librarian yesterday really got me thinking about how changing technology will be/is affecting how patrons use libraries. She said that a number of patrons have told her that they prefer to use their video-on-demand service through their cable system to watch movies vs. renting DVDs from the library.
We have not seen a decrease in our DVD circulation but if this trend continues, we can expect to see one, and then what? Libraries have had movies in their collections since the dawn of videotapes in the late '70s/early '80s. The circulation of VHS tapes and then DVDs has traditionally been high, contributing a significant count to libraries' overall circulation statistics, not to mention the income generated by video rentals. If DVD rentals disappear (or should I say 'when'), library circulation statistics will decrease. Consequently, funding of libraries will decrease, as many funding formulas take circulation statistics into consideration.
The question arises: in the Web 2.0 age, what is the real value of circulation statistics for libraries' circulation of 'things'? Should libraries really be counting something else, or adding something else to their count, to provide an indicator of library usage? I believe that statistics like library visits and public computer usage will become of more value than circulation figures to local governments and library funders in the not-too-distant future. Furthermore, libraries dependent on income from DVD rentals will have to seek this income elsewhere.
Will there be another format to replace DVDs that libraries can circulate and count? Perhaps, but I don't believe it's very likely. Should libraries be getting into the video-on-demand service? Perhaps, but they will face stiff competition from cable/satellite providers who have been providing this service for some time already.
In this virtual, downloadable age, the role of libraries is definitely changing. Measures of libraries' success will have to change as well.
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I have read arguments for counting transactions - so, circ, questions answered, in-house use, PC use, etc - to measure activity in a library.. Circ is only part of the picture. And - why not add movies to our database. What organization/company could we partner with to offer that service (besides Overdrive?)
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