Managing streaming video: A new role for technical services

BMCC Library is using streaming video technology to extend the electronic reserves service to include audio and videos. We have found that a streaming video project can be managed by non-technical staff with results that empower staff and impress students and faculty with their ease of use. The role of technical services in the library has evolved considerably, a process driven in part by technology. Consistent with this trend, our technical services department was asked to manage an electronic reserves program a few years back. Adding streaming video to its portfolio will invigorate a vital service department in the library. This article will illustrate the process we undertook from start to finish, demonstrating the major concern of streaming media is copyright consideration, not technology.