Media Collection
W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Floor 3
(413) 545-2458
avreserves@library.umass.edu 

Viewing and Listening Facilities: Equipment | Rooms
Borrowing: Loan Periods | Returns | Fines
Public Performance Rights for Audiovisual Materials
Requesting Media Items Unavailable at UMass Amherst
Just for Faculty: Booking Films, Videos, and DVDs | Placing Videos and DVDs on Reserve

The UMass Amherst Media Collection contains thousands of titles in a variety of formats, including videos, DVDs, CDs, audiocassettes, LPs, and CD-ROMs.

To locate holdings in the Library Catalog, search by keyword and limit the search by material type, choosing either "videos, films, slides" or "music recordings" to confine your search to these formats.

Viewing and Listening Facilities
Viewing and listening facilities are available when Reserves/Media is open - see the Library's schedule of hours.

• Equipment
  Our viewing and listening facilities contain televisions with VHS and DVD players, and equipment to play CDs, audiocassettes, LPs, and CD-ROMs.
• Viewing and Listening Rooms
  Faculty may call (413) 545-2358 to schedule use of viewing and listening rooms by more than 4 students or for those with disabilities.

Borrowing

Loan Periods for Videos, DVDs, CDs, Audiocassettes, LPs, Other Media Items, and Music Monuments

• UMass Amherst and Four College students, UMass alumni, and state borrowers may borrow up to 3 of each format of item for 3 days.
• UMass Amherst and Four College faculty and staff may borrow up to 3 of each format of item for 5 days.
• No renewals.
• Certain high demand or expensive videos and DVDs do not circulate, but may be viewed in the Reserves/Media viewing facilities. The Library Catalog will indicate that these items are available for "In Library or Classroom Use Only." Faculty may use the Film & Video Request Form, or email avreserves@library.umass.edu to request these materials for classroom use.

Through a pilot program during the Academic Year 2006-2007, Four College students may request UMass Amherst videos, CDs, and DVDs through the Interlibrary Loan service at their home institution.  Students will be able to use the item in the library at their home institution for one week, but without renewals.  Excluded from this policy will be videos, CDs, or DVDs that are in high demand, expensive to replace, scheduled for classroom use, or on Course Reserves. LPs, audiocassettes, and music recital tapes and CDs also do not circulate.

Returns

All borrowers must bring media items back to Reserves/Media in person.

Fines for Videos, DVDs, CDs, Audiocassettes, LPs, and Other Media Items

• $10.00 per day up to $30.00 per item.
• Replacement costs are $150.00 per video and DVD and $50.00 per CD, audiocassette, and LP.

Just for Faculty

Scheduling Films, Videos, and DVDs for Classroom Use
UMass Amherst faculty and staff may schedule UMass Amherst and Four College films, videos, and DVDs for classroom use. Please allow 3 working days advance notice for processing and confirmation of UMass Amherst titles, and 5 working days advance notice for titles from the Four Colleges. To schedule materials, use the Film & Video Request Form, or email avreserves@library.umass.edu.

Faculty must request equipment through AIMS Equipment Delivery in Goodell at (413) 545-5765. For auditorium setups and technical questions, call AIMS Technical Support Services at (413) 545-5768.

Placing Videos and DVDs on Reserve for Classes
Approximately 350 videos and DVDs are placed on reserve by faculty each semester. Some of these materials are personal copies, belonging to professors and to academic departments, and may be viewed only by students in the course for which they have been placed on reserve.

Faculty may request that videos and DVDs that are part of the Library's collection be placed on reserve for courses. The Library will also purchase videos and DVDs to be placed on reserve. Please use the Film & Video Request Form, or email avreserves@library.umass.edu to place a request.

Please see our Copyright Policy and FAQ for detailed information about which materials may be placed on reserve.

Requesting Media Items Unavailable at UMass Amherst 

Students, faculty, and staff of the Five Colleges may also use the extensive media collections at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges.

UMass Amherst students, faculty, and staff may use the Boston Library Consortium and Massachusetts Virtual Catalogs or Interlibrary Loan to request media items not owned by the UMass Amherst Libraries or Four Colleges.

Massachusetts residents with a library card from C/W MARS or one of the other public library networks may request media items from other public libraries through the Mass Virtual Catalog or through interlibrary loan at their local public library.

Public Performance Rights for Audiovisual Materials

The UMass Libraries generally do not acquire public performance rights for audiovisual materials in the Media Collection.