Frequently Asked Questions About
LRC Video Acquisitions

The Language Resource Center video collection contains over two thousand titles. When combined with the language, literature and cultural programs of the Film and Video Library, language faculty have a rich resource available for use in instruction and research. You have the opportunity to influence the growth and depth of the collection by making a request for programs suitable for use in your courses.

Some of the common questions people ask, and the answers to those questions are listed below. If your query isn't on the list, contact Lynne Crandall at 647-0762 or lynnec@umich.edu.

When can I make a request?

How do I make a request?

How long does it take for programs to arrive on campus?

What are some of the problems that might arise with my video request?

What about the Film and Video Library?

Will the LRC rent films or videos for my course?

How do I know what the LRC has in its video collection?

When can I make a request?

Requests may be submitted at any time. We urge you to think one semester ahead when making your video requests. If you want to use a program in the Fall Semester, the best time to request it is during Spring Semester; Winter Semester requests should be received in early Fall. While it isn't impossible to receive a video tape from a vendor in a few days, it is far more difficult, and you may end up making a last minute change in your syllabus if the program is not available.

How do I make a request?

Complete the video request form (available in room 2012 MLB) with the following guidelines in mind: (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/videorequests )

Rank your titles according to priority for purchase. The LRC

may not be able to purchase all requested programs.

 

Note whether the title will be of primary, supplementary or optional

use for the course. The intended use of a program is

considered when evaluating requests for purchase.

 

Indicate any format preferences on this form. For example, some

films may only be available in a dubbed or subtitled version. If

these characteristics would render the program useless or less

desirable for your course, it is vital that you include this

information.

 

Graduate Student Instructors are encouraged to suggest titles for purchase.

It is important to note, though, titles that have primary use in a course receive

higher purchase priority than optional or "of interest" titles. We recommend GSI's

gain the support of the course coordinator who is responsible for establishing the

syllabus when submitting a request.

How long does it take for programs to arrive on campus?

This can vary a lot! If a title is in stock and the company works with verbal University purchase order numbers, we may rush an order and receive it in about three days. Most shipments from sources within the United States average a week to ten days from order to arrival. It can be years though, if the title is out of print. Once the LRC receives a title, we must inspect it for its technical quality, catalog and label it.

What are some of the problems that might arise with my video request?

In about a tenth of the requests the LRC receives each year, we are not able to find or purchase a requested program. Sometimes the titles simply have not been released for United States distribution, or they haven't been released yet, and may be making a theatrical debut in the coming year. In other instances, the titles are out of print or unavailable for sale due to distributing company changes. Be assured, any request you make stays active in our purchase database until the request is withdrawn or the title becomes available for sale. A recent example of waiting for an out-of-print title is Sugar Cane Alley, a film that was unavailable for several years. Last spring it enjoyed a re-release and the Language Resource Center and the Film and Video Library snapped up copies. Instructors from three different courses had requested Sugar Cane Alley, and those requests were finally able to be filled.

What about the Film and Video Library?

The LRC enjoys a collaborative relationship with the Film and Video Library [FVL]. We receive copies of the FVL's catalog updates and recent purchase lists so we have an up-to-date list of their available holdings. We also discuss our purchase priorities with the FVL so we are not unnecessarily duplicating offerings and can make the most of our budgetary resources. You may wish to contact the FVL as well as the LRC when making a purchase request; please let us know if you are working through both offices though, so we don't both spend research time and funds!

Will the LRC rent films or videos for my course?

The LRC does not fund program rentals. We will assist with the arrangements (vendor contacts, return shipping), but rental costs should be absorbed by another source. Unfortunately, our resource acquisition budget is not extensive enough to accommodate transient rental materials.

How do I know what the LRC has in its video collection?

A complete print catalog of all language holdings is available to browse in our Equipment and Video Booking Office, 2009 MLB. A language-specific catalog is distributed to each department and program as well. You can also browse our catalog online.