See and hear : the journal on audio-visual learning (1945)

South Bend Meets Teacher Needs With Central Office Film Library by Garret R. Weathers, Director of Visual Education School City of South Bend, Indiana A TEACHER, HOWEVER WELL-TRAINED in the techniques of utilizing audio-visual materials, is still limited by availability. So quite naturally one of the important phases of an audiovisual program is that of distribution. In establishing a central-office film library for the South Bend schools, film distribution procedures were planned to attain four objectives: 1. Mechanical demands of the teacher should be as limited as practicable. 2. Central ofiice operations should be kept at a minimum. 3. Records of usage should provide any worthwhile information. 4. Cost should be as low as is consistent with good service. A plan meeting these objectives which incorporates suggestions from several persons in our schools has been in operation in South Bend since September, 1947. Each School Has Catalog Administration of the program (vithin the building is left to the principal and teachers. Each school has been furnished two or more copies of a card catalogue listing all films and filmstrips in our library. One card file is located in the library. Mimeographed alphabetical lists of films are provided each teacher. This "example" booking, originating in one of our elementary schools will be used to illustrate how a teacher requests a film for her use: Teacher originates request: On the Franklin School office bulletin board and on a table placed below it, are various materials and film lists for teacher reference. A box contains 3" x 5" forms for film bookings. When filled out, these are placed in a second box to be picked up by two seventh-grade girls at the end of the day. (These girls handled the bookings last year while in the sixth grade.) The booking is then entered on the projector schedule and the film booking form sent to the school film library. Booking in the film library: Upon arrival at the library, the film use control card in question is checked to see if the date is. open. The date and the name of the school are recorded. A quadruplicate confirmation of booking form is then typed. If an alternate date is used, it is clearly shown by the position on the card. The hours of usage are indicated and the date for return to the library. The school may expect the film to be picked up at any time after the last indicated usage depending upon delivery service, routing and additional bookings. Two copies of this form are then returned to the school. Forms Returned for Action Building routine concluded: When these confirmation forms are returned to the building, they are placed in the coordinator's box where they are picked up by the girls. The projector schedule is confirmed or corrected depending upon whether or not the original date was available. In case of conflict on an alternate date, a telephone call eff^ects a satisfactory booking. One confirmation notice is placed in the coordinator's file under the name of the teacher. The other is delivered to the teacher to be filed, thus completing the confirmation. Some teachers include these notices with their lesson plans for future reference as to exact usage or for benefit of substitute teachers. Film library procedure continued: The third copy of the confirmation notice is placed in an "out" file and the fourth one in an "in" file. When the film is due to be sent to the school (one day prior to scheduled date if demand permits) these "out" forms from a tickler file are used to remove films from racks. The end of the confirmation notice is caught under the can lid which routes the film to the teacher without the necessity of the school office checking any booking schedules. Pickup for return to the library is controlled by the fourth copy. Use Local Taxi Service Films are transmitted to the schools in bags made of plastic covered cloth of sizes to accommodate three 400' cans, three 800' cans or three 1600' cans. Strap handles, much like the familiar shopping bag, and a window on the side for the name of the school make handling easy and destination sure. A contract on a mileage basis with a taxi company has proven extremely satisfactory. Radio "used by the company makes it possible to change routing if necessary. The cost of delivery and pickup was slightly below 12 cents per operation last year. Easy to Study School Use Usage Records: The original requests from teachers are filed by schools. It is a simple matter to determine usage by schools, by individual teachers, or the system as a whole. The card for each film provides information on usage by titles. Filmstrips and records in albums are distributed by the same delivery service. Persons interested in securing copies of forms used in South Bend, Indiana may contact Mr. Garret R. Weathers, Director of Visual Education, School City of South Bend, Indiana. • Life Filmstrips are $4.50 ■k Many requests for the Life filmstrip The Middle Ages are noted by Mariam Fames of that organization, ^^ur Fall Review listing cited the l-rice at $4 however. The correct price is $4.50 for this 50-frame color filmstrip. Among the other Life Filmstrips available is Heritage of the Maya, a 50-frame color subject, also listed at $4.50. 40 See & Hear