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UPDATED 12/5/2008 

Requests for purchases and additions to the RTF Media Library are welcomed at any time.  However, certain policies and procedures do govern the practice of purchases, and these are the following:

Please make requests for instructional-use media program purchases a month before classes start.

Twenty to thirty (20 - 30) days (approx 3 or 4 weeks) before the first class day of the semester, Faculty members who need to have DVDs (or other formats) purchased for the semester’s instructional use should communicate these needs to the RTF Media Librarian (Lee Sparks). 

The format of the request should be in the form of your CURRENT CLASS SYLLABUS with the desired film or media program scheduled on a specific date. 

The Librarian will then make all possible effort to acquire, and place on reserve for the specified date, the desired media programs (DVDs).  He will then inform you of the results and when to expect the materials to arrive, OR, will ask that you provide additional information should the program prove to be either “out of print or unavailable,” or “on a low quality format,” or “not available in Region One (foreign),” or another possible complication, and then inquire as to how you would like to proceed.  On occasion you might be advised that you should make arrangement to borrow an unavailable item from the library, or rent said item from a video retailer, or substitute an alternate selection, but this is uncommon. 

Every effort will be made to acquire items needed for your planned instructional use.  However, in order to properly manage the purchasing budget, priority is given to those Faculty members who follow the above procedure and deliver their requests in the proper format (a current syllabus with an accurate date) and before the date specified (no later than 3 weeks before the first class day of the semester).

If you submit a request late or don’t have a syllabus yet, be aware of the following:

You should still submit to me your requests as soon as possible.  I value having enough time to not only submit the order, but to allow for fulfillment of the order if it is out of stock, as well as shipping time from the vendor, into the UT mail system, and eventually my hands.  Then the item needs to be documented and added to the system and then I need time to contact you and inform you of how to pick it up. 

Priority is given to scheduled programs on a current syllabus.  To fairly manage the budget, late requests will be addressed AFTER the initial requests are processed. 

Most casual mid-semester requests that are not time-sensitive and are not prohibitively expensive, are entirely likely to be purchased.  However, due to the needs of managing the budget, the request might be delayed for an indefinite period.  Factors can include waiting to order several things at once, finding a more economy-priced copy, or waiting for a new fiscal year budget.  If an item is imperative, please schedule it on your syllabus, or rent it and you will be reimbursed.  Special circumstances should be conveyed and every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate them.   Requests for programs needed on specific dates and times take precedence over unscheduled items.  Unscheduled items are always considered lowest priority, “wish list items.” 

Regarding items intended for “excerpts” or “clips,” and items being considered for the future:

The RTF Media Library does not have a budget that is sufficient to purchase items you would like to preview or consider using at a later date, nor items you would like to use a “clip” or short sequence from.  One should make efforts to rent these titles (and apply for reimbursement; see reimbursement policy * for details (below), borrow them from the UT library (I can assist you locating a copy if you wish), or Netflix them. 


Items purchased for your instructional use will be placed on reserve for your specified use date(s).  Be aware that you can place on reserve anything that is already here, whether it is on a syllabus or not.  You do not need a syllabus to use the collection.  You do not need to reserve an item to use it.  To place an item on reserve, simply tell me the title and date needed.  If the reserve date changes, tell me as soon as you can.  Someone else might need it and they will not be able to use it if you have it reserved. 


  1. Your per-semester budget allotment, per class, per semester cannot exceed $300.  Aggregate purchase costs exceeding this amount will result in delays.
  2. Items costing in excess of $100 MUST be scheduled on an official current syllabus.



  1. Requested on time, between 3 and 4 weeks before the first class day of the semester.
  2. Scheduled on a current syllabus on a specific date at a specific time.
  3. Per-class requests aggregately do not exceed $300 per semester.


  1. Later than 3 weeks before classes start, but before semester begins, but scheduled on a syllabus.
  2. Requests normally “Top Priority” but discovered to aggregately exceed $300 per class/semester, requiring communication and coordination time.
  3. Delivered in a reasonable time to process and otherwise satisfy all “Top” requirements.


  1. Scheduled (in writing), but not on a current syllabus. 
  2. Not over $100.
  3. Delivered any time during semester, but with reasonable time to process and acquire.


  1. Not reserved.
  2. Not scheduled for class use.
  3. aka “Suggestions for Library content and acquisition.”

* ADDENDUM: Video Rental Reimbursement Policy 11/24/08, revised 1/12/09

The Department no longer maintains direct-bill accounts with Vulcan Video (North and South) as of the end of the Fall 08 semester. Faculty are expected to use films from the large holdings of the Department Media Library whenever possible, by using the following procedure.

  1. Notify the Media Librarian prior to the beginning of the semester with a list of films needed for class(es) so that he can order them if necessary.
  2. If there is an unexpected mid-semester need for a film, contact the Media Librarian to see if the film is available from the Library.
  3. If the film is not available, faculty may use any retail video rental store and pay full price for the video.  (ADDENDUM 1/12/09: However, Vulcan Video has created accounts for RTF Faculty that are charged the “Educational Rate” of half price, as well as omitting sales tax.)  The faculty should then bring the receipt to the Media Librarian so that he can sign off on the rental.  He will arrange for reimbursement for the rental (but not the sales tax or late fees aka “Extra Days Rental Charges”). 
  4. Without the Media Librarian’s signature, the faculty will not be reimbursed.

The Department will rely on the good faith efforts of the faculty to use the vast holdings of the Media Library or to inform the Librarian of additional films needed in a timely manner.

If one has any feedback, impressions, requests for clarification, or suggestions of modification regarding these policies, please direct them to the Media Librarian (471-1906, Lee Sparks) at any time.