Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Information | Hours | Lending Policies
Printing | In-library viewings | Finding materials
Movie Guides | Equipment | Requesting new items
Collection Development Policies

Contact Information

Media Services is located on the Lower Level of the Downtown Campus Library.

Address:
Media Services
Downtown Campus Library
P.O. Box 6069
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069

Street Address:
1549 University Avenue

Telephone:
(304) 293-4019
(304) 293-2537

Hours

Hours of operation for Fall
and Spring Semesters

Sunday 1pm – 11pm
Mon-Thurs 8am – midnight
Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday noon – 6pm

Summer Hours

Sunday 6pm – 10pm
Mon-Thurs 8am – 9pm
Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 5pm

Lending Policies

Software

Who can borrow materials?

WVU Faculty, Staff and Students may borrow materials by presenting a valid Mountaineer Card, which scans. Materials can also be viewed within the library, subject to room availability. Non-WVU patrons must have a valid driver’s license for room use.

Loan Period/Borrowing Limits

All software is checked out for FIVE days, counting the days Media Services is open. Any longer periods must be cleared by the supervisor.

Patrons can borrow up to FIVE titles total. Five parts of a series cataloged under the same title count as five individual titles. Limits are the same for all media formats.

Overdue Fines

Fines for overdue software are ONE DOLLAR per day late PER ITEM.
All items are to be returned to the Media Services circulation desk. We are not responsible for fines incurred because materials were returned to a different library location.

Equipment

Available Equipment

Who can borrow equipment?

WVU faculty, Teaching Assistants, and approved Staff Members are allowed to checkout equipment from Media Services. Students are not allowed to check out equipment without faculty permission/approval in the form of a signed letter on departmental letterhead. Equipment is only to be used for instructional, classroom, and course-related purposes. Our equipment is not to be used for recreational or club-related activities.

Loan Period/Borrowing Limits

Media equipment is available for a one day loan only. Any checkouts beyond our one day limit require supervisor approval. Equipment checked out on Friday will be due the following Monday.

Overdue fines

Late fines are $10.00 per day per each piece of equipment. All items are to be returned to the Media Services circulation desk.

Laptops

Who can borrow laptops?

WVU students, faculty, or staff with a valid WVU Mountaineer Card, which scans, can check out a laptop. Laptops are available for in-library use only. Under no circumstances are Library Laptops permitted to leave the building.

Loan Period/Borrowing Limits

Laptops are available for two hour checkout. Patrons must first complete a Registration and Fiscal Liability Form in which they acknowledge responsibility for the computer and any peripherals checked out to them.
While you use our laptop, your ID will be kept at the Media Services circulation desk. Laptops must be returned to Media Services fifteen minutes before closing, borrowers may not receive the full two hours.

Overdue fines

Two cents a minute is the charge for late laptops. It is the responsibility of patrons to monitor their time and inform Media Services of any renewals.

Printing

All printing is done though Pharos printing stations on the lower level near Media Services. Printing cost are 6 cents a page. We encourage laptop users to save their materials onto a floppy diskette or CD-ROM to avoid printing problems.

In-Library Viewings

Large Group Viewing Room (104)

Who can use the room?

Our Large Group Viewing Room (104) can be scheduled by faculty and teaching assistants for classroom use during regular Media Services hours.
The room can be booked for classes up to seven times during each semester.
The Large Group Viewing Room is not available for non-academic, social or club use.

How many seats are available in room 104?

The room seats 56 people comfortably.

What multimedia equipment can be used in the room?

Both video playback (VHS and DVD) and computer projection are available. We also have provision for a laptop computer input. Finally, we have an overhead visual presenter. All equipment is controlled by an AMX touch screen control panel.

Small Group Viewing Rooms

Who can use a room?

Our four Small Group Viewing Rooms are available for both group and individual viewings. Individuals can view reserve videos and DVDs from our collection. Groups of three or more can reserve the rooms for academic computer projects. No non-academic Internet surfing or video game playing is allowed in the Small Group Viewing Rooms. These are not study rooms. Small Group Viewing Rooms can be reserved in advance for up to three hours.

How many seats are available in each room?

The rooms can seat up to six people in each room.

What multimedia equipment can be used in the room?

Each room has a large plasma screen, a multimedia computer with DVD and a standard VCR. Room 100B has a multi-standard VHS that will play PAL, SECAM, and other foreign standards. Non-copyrighted videos can be transferred to the NTSC standard in Room 100B

Finding Materials

How can I find materials in the Media Services Collection?

  • One way to see what materials we have in our collection is to click on the pre-selected categories on the left side of the Media Services Web Page.
  • Another easy way to search is to go to the MountainLynx Online Catalog and select the “Quick Limit” drop down menu “Downtown Library, Media Services.” This will limit your search to only materials in Media Services.
  • You can then do a “Keyword” or “Advanced Search” to find materials.
  • Subject searches will not work with the “Quick Limit” settings.

How can I limit my results in Mountainlynx to only retrieve videos or only for a certain language?

  • By clicking on the “Set Limits” button you can select a particular “Language” or “Medium.”
  • The “Videorecording” listing under “Medium” will retrieve both VHS and DVD formats.
  • More advanced searching can be done under “Assisted Search.”
  • Items listed without call numbers may be “In Process” and not available for checkout.

Movie Guides

Paper Indexes in Media Services

Video Source Book

Media Review Digest
1970 -

Film and Video Finder

Educational Film and
Video Locator

Movie Resources on the Web

All Movie Guide
http://allmovie.com/
useful for finding reviews of documentary and educational films

Internet Archive: Movie Archive
http://www.archive.org/details/movies
stream free digitized public domain videos (use the MPEG4 broadband setting on Media Services computers)

The Internet Movie Database
http://us.imdb.com/
biggest, best, most award-winning movie site on the planet

Movie Review Query Engine
http://www.mrqe.com/
useful for finding movies based on books, locations, producers, technical criteria

Video Distributor Database
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/Distributors.html
search or browse for video distributors

Available Equipment

  • Bell and Howell Ring Masters (3)
  • Camcorders (5)
  • Cassette Recorders (5)
  • Data Projector
  • Digital Cameras
  • Dukane Filmstrip Projectors (4)
  • Easels (2)
  • Lecturnettes (3)
  • Overhead Projectors (7)
  • Portable VCRS 1/2 in (5)
  • RCA Floor Speaker
  • Record Player
  • Reel to Reel Audio Recorder
  • Screens (9)
  • 16 Motion Picture Projectors (8)
  • Slide Projectors (17)
  • Slide Dissolve Units (2)
  • Slide Trays (9)
  • Synchronizer Recorders (4)
  • Television Monitors
  • """"11" (3)
  • """"19 " (2)
  • """"17" (1)
  • Tripods (6)
  • U-Matic VCR 3/4 in.
  • Video Tape Projector

Requesting new items

How do I request new items for the Media Services Collection?

Any West Virginia University faculty member, graduate or undergraduate student can request/recommend non print materials for inclusion in the Media Services Collection. All requests are considered in light of funding and Media Services Collection Development Policies.

Requests can be made by mail, email or telephone. Address campus mail requests to Charles Burkart, Media Bibliographer, P.O. Box 6069 , Downtown Campus Library, West Virginia University . Email requests should be addressed to cburkart@wvu.edu. Finally, requests can also be made by telephone at 293-4040 extension 4071.

Media Services Collection Development Policies

What criteria is used when materials are selected for the media collection?

Non print materials are normally purchased to directly support classroom instruction at West Virginia University. Consequently, strong consideration is given to all course-related purchase requests. While individual faculty and graduate student requests for personal research materials are important, priority is given to those requests with broad multi-disciplinary use.

Moreover, requests for new materials are evaluated as to how they will balance and enhance the collection’s already existing subject categories/disciplines. Due to budgetary constraints, recognized classics of cinema are purchased rather than contemporary popular films. Furthermore, materials that promote an understanding and appreciation of foreign cultures are also favored for purchase.

To avoid collection duplication, Health Sciences and Law related materials are not generally purchased for the Downtown Campus Library Media Services Collection. In addition, musical sound recordings (with the exception of the spoken arts: drama, literature, etc.), are not actively collected. Music collections exist in the Evansdale Library and the West Virginia and Regional History Collection. Finally, whenever possible, new materials will be acquired in either DVD or legal streaming video format.

All Media Services gifts and donations are evaluated with the previously mentioned collection development policies in mind.