Borrowing from public library - DVD vs blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Peter McM]

I am currently on a wait list to borrow Rogue One from my Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library.

An interesting observation: as of this post the DVD of the movie has 254 reservations, while I am only 24 in line for the blu-ray. While this certainly shortens my wait time for a copy, what does this say about the media demographic of library patrons?

It should be noted that I utilize my library for mostly foreign and art house films for which blu-rays are not easily available.

 

[Gary Seven]

An interesting observation: as of this post the DVD of the movie has 254 reservations, while I am only 24 in line for the blu-ray. While this certainly shortens my wait time for a copy, what does this say about the media demographic of library patrons?.

Geezers?

 

[Vegas 1]

I tried the library years ago but the discs were always so scratched up that many would not play properly so I gave up on borrowing from the library.

 

[DP 70]

If Disney had done a 4K UHD you would have been first in Line.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I am currently on a wait list to borrow Rogue One from my Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library.

An interesting observation: as of this post the DVD of the movie has 254 reservations, while I am only 24 in line for the blu-ray. While this certainly shortens my wait time for a copy, what does this say about the media demographic of library patrons?

It should be noted that I utilize my library for mostly foreign and art house films for which blu-rays are not easily available.

Another option for library patrons, particularly those who are into art house and lesser-known titles, is to use Hoopla, which is like Netflix for library patrons. It's free with a current library card in most locations in North America, and allows you to borrow up to 4 titles a month [movies, music, e-books, audio books. When you borrow, you have a 72 hour window in which to watch the film, and the app will stream via Chromecast or apple TV, or you can plug your laptop into your display. The selection of obscure films is quite good, as is the quality.

 

[DaveF]

I am currently on a wait list to borrow Rogue One from my Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library.

An interesting observation: as of this post the DVD of the movie has 254 reservations, while I am only 24 in line for the blu-ray. While this certainly shortens my wait time for a copy, what does this say about the media demographic of library patrons?

Folks who are motivated to wait months to "rent" a movie for free to save the $1 Red Box fee are unsurprisingly willing to save the $100 of a blu-ray player and stick with their DVD player.

It might speak to socio-economics. But I know know lots of middle-class families take their kids to libraries who could afford to buy books.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I been using my local library for the past 8 years and never had a issue with a disc not playing and also they do carry the new releases and my wait time has not that long. Glad I can check out titles I did not see at the theater and my last one was Doctor Strange a few days ago which I can keep for 7 days before I have to return it back.

 

[Peter McM]

I tried the library years ago but the discs were always so scratched up that many would not play properly so I gave up on borrowing from the library.

I used to have that problem a lot more than I do now; I think the movies I select are not as heavily rented, and those that do tend to know how to treat them.

Another option for library patrons, particularly those who are into art house and lesser-known titles, is to use Hoopla, which is like Netflix for library patrons. It's free with a current library card in most locations in North America, and allows you to borrow up to 4 titles a month [movies, music, e-books, audio books. When you borrow, you have a 72 hour window in which to watch the film, and the app will stream via Chromecast or apple TV, or you can plug your laptop into your display. The selection of obscure films is quite good, as is the quality.

I always forget about streaming thru the library! I'll have to give it a go in the near future.

 

[TJPC]

For at least 10 years we have borrowed movie and TV DVDs from our library system. These are always ones I do not wish to own. I make copies on DVD-RW to get around the need to return these in 7 days. I make bare bones copies.
This gives us a set to watch at our leasure whenever our TV shows are not on. We watch them once and then the disc is erased for another use.
We always apply the 20 minute rule, which means after the first 20 minutes we decide to stop or go on.
We do borrow Blu rays, and I can't copy those, so they must be watched right away.
We pay heavy property taxes like everyone else, and part of the money funds libraries. I see no shame in using them.
We occasionally get a damaged DVD, but we just inform the library and they send it out for repairs and order a copy from another branch. They also take suggestions and order these.

 

[BobO'Link]

It might speak to socio-economics. But I know know lots of middle-class families take their kids to libraries who could afford to buy books.

For books I'd say it's due to the tendency of most people to "Read once and never again." Why spend $20+ for a book to read it once and either toss it, give it away, or try to sell it. If I were of that mentality I'd use the public library more. My grandkids use it to sample a series. If they really like it we'll purchase copies, otherwise it's borrow from the library.

My dad borrows just about every movie that comes through that he thinks one of the great-grandkids will like and makes them a copy. I'll see something on sale, buy a copy, show it to them only to hear "Oh... we've seen that. Papa made a copy." At least the ones I buy are those I think I'd like as well so it's not a total loss.

I've not been to the library in 20+ years. I really need to correct that as it can be a really good resource and alternative to see those films I pretty much know I don't want/need to own.

 

[Gromilini]

Besides shorter waiting lists for new release blu-rays, they are also more resistant to scratches. So library blu-rays are usually less likely to skip/freeze than DVDs.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

For books I'd say it's due to the tendency of most people to "Read once and never again." Why spend $20+ for a book to read it once and either toss it, give it away, or try to sell it.

And yet, I remember growing up that having a large collection of books at home was considered to be a prestigious and worthy endeavor, but having collections of VHS tapes was considered silly. Of course, any such experience is anecdotal, but I ran into that attitude so many times as I was growing up, and even as an adult. Having a shelf of books is a sign that I'm an interesting, intelligent, well-rounded person. Having a shelf of discs is a sign that I'm a hoarder with poor taste. I don't really get why books are always magically awesome and movies are always magically terrible, but that's the common wisdom I've run into my whole life.

My dad borrows just about every movie that comes through that he thinks one of the great-grandkids will like and makes them a copy.

That's theft, plain and simple. Would your dad xerox all of the pages of a library book he liked?

 

[TJPC]

Our city system has 21 branches and when you use the on line catalogue, you can order anything in the system sent to your local branch. Also through an app called "over drive" you can borrow thousands and thousands of electronic books sent to your device.

 

[BobO'Link]

And yet, I remember growing up that having a large collection of books at home was considered to be a prestigious and worthy endeavor, but having collections of VHS tapes was considered silly. Of course, any such experience is anecdotal, but I ran into that attitude so many times as I was growing up, and even as an adult. Having a shelf of books is a sign that I'm an interesting, intelligent, well-rounded person. Having a shelf of discs is a sign that I'm a hoarder with poor taste. I don't really get why books are always magically awesome and movies are always magically terrible, but that's the common wisdom I've run into my whole life.

Same here. We had a library as I was growing up and I still have one. It's pretty much become stagnant as I've such a backlog of unread tomes that I won't purchase any more until I've caught up a bit.

That's theft, plain and simple. Would your dad xerox all of the pages of a library book he liked?

Yes, I agree. But he doesn't seem to care so I no longer give him grief about it. If they were watching it once and throwing it out I'd have a different opinion, but they don't.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Yes, I agree. But he doesn't seem to care so I no longer give him grief about it. If they were watching it once and throwing it out I'd have a different opinion, but they don't.

I apologize if i was over-sensitive in my original comment. That kind of copying (as well as hacked streaming devices) are kinda pet peeves of mine because I work in an industry that relies on people paying for content they watch, and I see the negative results from people copying or using hacked/bootleg material. But there's no reason to jump down your throat for that and I apologize for doing so.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

My local libraries don't even HAVE blu-rays. I check out rare and hard to find stuff on DVD occasionally, but can't bring myself to watch any recent movies in standard-def and don't know how anyone else can.

 

[Alf S]

Technically we (tax paying public) own a share of that DVD or Blu Ray disc via taxation.

 

[Alf S]

Our smaller library has a couple dozen Blu discs and several beat up obscure DVD's as well as a few newer releases, but I wouldn't wait a day let alone weeks to borrow some new movie. I'd go half a block to the local rental store or stream it via various other methods.

 

[BobO'Link]

I apologize if i was over-sensitive in my original comment. That kind of copying (as well as hacked streaming devices) are kinda pet peeves of mine because I work in an industry that relies on people paying for content they watch, and I see the negative results from people copying or using hacked/bootleg material. But there's no reason to jump down your throat for that and I apologize for doing so.

No need to apologize. I agree with you 100%! The sad fact is most people don't get it and don't care. They see people becoming millionaires off of movies/music and don't see a problem with making a personal copy. I believe in supporting what I like to help encourage further production. I try to get that across to my grandkids and hope that dad's bad habit doesn't rub off on them.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

No need to apologize. I agree with you 100%! The sad fact is most people don't get it and don't care. They see people becoming millionaires off of movies/music and don't see a problem with making a personal copy.

I think you're right. And ok, granted, maybe Robert Downey Jr., who is supposedly getting $50 million each time he plays Iron Man, doesn't need the money. But how do people not notice that these movies made today have ten minutes of credits at the end? All of those people need to be paid too, and they're not millionaires. They're blue and white collar employees, some working with their hands for incredibly long days, others working in offices and cubicles on equally long days either making all of the necessary preparations so there is a set that can be shot on, or working on effects that bring the movie together. The vast majority of people working in the entertainment industry are doing semi-anonymous jobs like that. If the studios believe less people are interested in their movies, either from losing money on sales or not seeing sales made and assuming people just weren't interested, they'll stop making the movies we like, or they'll cut the budgets on them, which won't impact people like Downey but will impact everyone in the end credits.

I believe in supporting what I like to help encourage further production.

And I and many, many others thank you