This document discusses a study comparing the value of on-demand streaming video to DVD collections in academic libraries. Previous studies found streaming had much higher returns on investment. The authors launched a demand-driven acquisition model for streaming video and found even higher usage and ROI than expected. Usage was low for DVDs and purchased collections over time. Promotional efforts helped increase awareness and use of streaming video. Going forward, the authors plan to use demand data to inform collection development and promotions, and further explore how streaming video is being used in and out of the classroom.

1. Putting your Patrons
in the Driver’s Seat
Assessing the Value of On-
Demand Streaming Video
Presented by
Annie Erdmann, Simmons College, ann.erdmann@simmons.edu
Jennifer Ferguson, Simmons College, jennifer.ferguson@simmons.edu
Scott Stangroom, UMass Amherst, stangroom@library.umass.edu

2. Why Study Streaming Video?
• Distance learning
• Faculty demand and
the “flipped classroom”
• Non-DVD compatible
technology
• Staying relevant to our
patrons…

3. From Pilot to Practice
Previous Pilot Study Findings
• An 85% and 70% improvement in ROI vs.
outright collection purchases and DVDs
• Colleges with 26,000 and 30,000
students
• 40% of DVDs never used and ~9 views
on average over their lifetime
• 60% of academics use online video for
teaching yet 80% are unaware the library
offers it (same with students)
Would our experience
echo the pilot?
Would our FTE (4K vs.
28K) make a
difference?
Were we experiencing
the same issues and
what was driving it?
Could we find a way to
crack the “awareness
gap”?

4. Part I:
The Situation with DVD

5. Surprisingly Low Usage
% of DVD Collection by Lifetime Checkouts
UMass

6. Losing Relevance Over Time…
DVDs Checked out by Timeframe Post Acquisition (cumul.)
Simmons only, by Year
Our DVDs lose their
value over time

7. … Consistently at Both Campuses
DVDs Checked out by Timeframe Post Acquisition (cumul.)
Simmons & UMass, 2004-2014

8. Damage & Loss is also a Concern
DVDs Lost, Damaged & Weeded by Year of Acquisition
Simmons only

9. These Issues Reduce the ROI on DVDs
$18.15
$20.15
$131.17
$119.83
UMass

10. Part II:
Launching Video PDA

11. Kanopy’s Streaming Video PDA
• Launched Kanopy’s PDA
model in late 2013
• Step 1: Set a manageable
upfront budget cap
• Step 2: Opened up broad
collections of over 20,000
films
• Step 3: Usage triggers
• Step 4: Quarterly invoicing,
live usage monitoring

12. We Didn’t Know You Wanted That!
Top 10 Films
Simmons
1. Mental Disorder / Illness Symptoms
(Symptom Media)
2. Here One Day (Indep.)
3. Appraisals in Action (TV Choice)
4. The Seventh Seal (Criterion)
5. Thin Ice: The Inside Story of Climate
Science (Green Planet)
6. The Legacy of Unresolved Loss
(Psychotherapy. net)
7. When Students Write (Stenhouse)
8. Writing with Mentors (Stenhouse)
9. Unnatural Causes (Cal. NR)
10. The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (Kino)
UMass
1. Race the Power of an Illusion (Cal.
NR)
2. The Revisionaries (Kino)
3. Frontline - Generation Like (PBS)
4. Animation Before Unification (DEFA)
5. Blood And Sand (Kino)
6. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low
Price (TDC)
7. Rome Open City (Criterion)
8. For The Price of a Cup of Coffee
(Green Planet)
9. Miss Representation (Indep.)
10. First Contact (DER)

13. We Buy Only What We Use A Lot
61%
11%
4%
3%
3%
18%
UMass
53%
15%
6%
3%
4%
19%
Simmons
1
2
3
4
5
5+
% of films watched by
number of plays

14. Let’s compare the purchase model...
*Playback represents a single click on the playback button, irrespective of viewing time.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
TotalPlaybacks*
Filmakers Library Online
Total Playbacks by Month
Simmons only

15. … and how this translates into value.
Total Playbacks =
81
Total Cost to Date =
$21,400
Cost Per Playback =
$264.200
10
20
30
40
50
60
2011 2012 2013 2014
TotalPlaybacksPerYear
Counseling & Therapy in Video,
Volume I
UMass only

16. Plays Per Paid Film (ROI)
1 A play is defined as 30 seconds or more viewed
2 Checkout is a checkout from the library irrespective if played
3 Upfront payment with ongoing annual fees. Plays per film per year since available (declining year on year)
Kanopy PDA
DVD
Purchased
Coll.
UMass Simmons
Plays per Triggered Film 203 56
ROI ($/play)1 $0.74 $2.42
Lifetime Checkouts / DVD 7.2 5.9
ROI ($/checkout)2 $18.15 $20.15
Plays per film3 0.01 0.10
ROI ($/play)* $264.20 -

17. Part III:
Closing the Awareness Gap

18. 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Oct-13
Nov-13
Dec-13
Jan-14
Feb-14
Mar-14
Apr-14
May-14
Jun-14
Jul-14
Aug-14
Sep-14
Oct-14
Nov-14
Dec-14
Jan-15
Feb-15
VideoClicks
UMass
Simmons
Awareness
campaign started
Total Video Clicks by Month
Increasing Awareness and Building Use

19. Our Promotional Project
1. LibGuide links
2. Faculty / Liaison emails
3. Email signature images
4. News blog
5. Posters
6. Social Media
7. Database list
Promotional Initiatives

20. What Were They Looking For?
Type of
search query % of Total
producer 9%
theme 67%
title 16%
person 5%
place 3%
DEFA, Criterion
Psychology,
gender
Miss
representation,
The Actress
Japan, Michael
white

21. Results By Channel
Sessions % New
Bounce
Rate
Pages /
Session
Avg.
Duration
Email 366 33% 39% 3.9 0:03:54
LibGuide 310 20% 17% 6.8 0:06:25
Email Signature 25 40% 80% 2.1 0:01:38
Social media 13 69% 62% 2.0 0:00:24
Search widget 87 36% 24% 4.6 0:06:31

22. So What?
• PDA has been a highly effective & economical model
– Significantly greater ROI compared to DVD or purchased
collections of streaming video
– Solves problems of predicting demand & unused/obsolete
media
– Success at both campuses despite size differences
• We were able to greatly impact awareness
– Faculty engagement has been important to success (esp.
email and LibGuides)
– Still working on student engagement (social media, etc.)

23. What Now?
• Using PDA to inform collection development and promotion
– Carving out curated collections
– Promoting the subjects and materials that we know faculty
want
• Determining how the films are being used, by whom and for
what reasons
– Length of play
– In or out of the classroom
– Research or recreation
– Feature films or documentaries

24. What Next?
• The changing landscape for media in education
– Increasing legitimacy of films in course work
– Increasing number of courses teaching with film
• The changing landscape for streaming films
– Rapidly increasing number of streaming titles available to
us every year
– Access versus ownership an increasingly important
concept for media collections

25. thank you
Presented by
Annie Erdmann, Simmons College, ann.erdmann@simmons.edu
Jennifer Ferguson, Simmons College, jennifer.ferguson@simmons.edu
Scott Stangroom, UMass Amherst, stangroom@library.umass.edu