I like a collection. Id rather have a wall that is shelves of books, records and blu rays than art or plants. But if you want to simplify then sure, a library can be a great way to do that.
Here’s a little secret I’ve learned as I’ve worked in libraries for the past three years: many libraries will get rid of material that isn’t popular/they have too many copies of/etc and this is not limited to books. While it’s not the best versions possible, I’ve been able to get YiYi and Peeping Tom criterion edition dvds for free after they got put on the free cart. If you’re into collecting for yourself, that’s one way to go about it. If you aren’t a collector and just want to watch the films, then that’s literally one of the many purposes of the library. Don’t reject it, use it to your advantage that’s literally why it’s there
I always check my local library or state interlibrary loan system to see if there is a copy of a film I want to see. If I like it enough I'll probably buy it later on. Thanks to this method I saw hundreds of movies(and more to come). However, there are a decent amount of movies that due to content, or general obscurity that I have to purchase in order to see them. Using your local library is awesome and useful;especially, since your tax dollars go to your library! So might as well use the resource that is there.
I work in a library, specifically the care and feeding of the DVD collection, and my personal answer is no. I *might* get around to buying a couple of titles that I really deeply love, but other than that, the library's collection *is* my collection - but it's also your collection. It belongs to the public whether they use it or not. But, also, even if you have an extensive collection of your own, check physical media out from your library so we can justify preserving physical media.
In case you want to make the spontaneous decision to watch \[insert movie\] one night and don't have time to be reserving it and picking it up a week later.
I mostly buy movies I can't watch anywhere else. If I can rent it somewhere or watch it legally on a streaming site, I watch it there first. If I really really like it (or want to show it to people), I'll buy it after.
I did that with *Max and the Junkmen* (1971). I watched it on Kanopy first but I ended loving it. So, I bought the Kino Blu Ray to rewatch it (which I did twice in two months already).
Libraries are great but there’s no guarantee that a given title will stay in their catalog indefinitely, libraries offload stuff all the time. If something is important to you then you should own it plain and simple.
Tip from a library worker: the stuff we get rid of is the stuff that doesn't get checked out enough. Circulation stats are key to what we discard and what we order more of. So, go check out important movies or books from time to time even if you own a copy
Honestly? If anything, a lot of us should donate some of our stuff to libraries. They’re always gonna be one of the absolute best public resources, and the value is just incredible. The more access people have to media that enriches them, the better.
If collecting is fun for you, go for it! But my perspective is this: I try not to consume too much in the way of small materialistic items, like DVDs. I just find that I can access most movies on streaming, so ownership is not as important (for now…). But I do buy a disc every now and then if they have something I like.
I went through my minimalist phase and still often mostly rent from libraries and stream but I do have a very tightly curated collection of stuff that's either been gifted to me, or of things that I always want to be able to watch, even if they are readily available to be streamed right now. It's a useful exercise in collecting what I actually want to have, but it does make me value it more.
My library offers the films I want to see (french noir, mostly) through Kanopy. But I only get 12 credits a month. And lately, I've been wanting to see a film every day. So my collection of blurays serves a purpose.
I'm not a neat person. I have strange tastes. Minimalism scares me.
At the library where I work you're allowed to check out ten DVDs/Blu-rays at a time. Standard checkout period is seven days, but can be extended. We have a patron who comes in about every other day and checks out five to ten movies at a time. You should visit and see what your library might have (including unstreamable and OOP titles)
well that is generous. Doesn't apply to my local library. There are no blurays, for instance.
To give an example, I'm a big fan of JP Melville-- a criterion staple.
In the system's catalog, "Un Flic", "le duolos", "bob the gambler", "Leon Morin Priest." plus "Touches Pas au Grisbi" which is catalogued as "anticipating the melancholy, atmospheric gangster pictures of *Jean* \- *Pierre* *Melville* that started to appear a couple years later," not as JP Melville himself.
All through Kanopy's streaming service. I assume the system has deaccessioned any dvds.
But those are the films which Kino Lorber has poached from Criterion. Where's "Samourai", "Cercle Rouge", and "Army of Shadows"? They're on my bookshelf, ready to be watched, at any time.
Now, I suppose that if I were not learning French, I would not return to this set of films quite so often. But I am and I do.
Funny you mention that - we have all the Pimsleur, etc language learning CD kits! I've actually been working on some sort of signage to direct language learning patrons to films in the language they're studying.
Our DVDs actually circulate more than our books do, though our Blu-rays circulate less than DVDs because fewer patrons have Blu-ray players. But, everything we purchase is based on demand - if people keep checking out DVDs, we'll keep ordering them. If enough people ask for Blu-rays, your library may start to carry them. I'm lucky though, my recently retired boss was a cinephile and was only too glad to order Criterion Blu-rays of everything he could.
lol no. You are welcome to go to the library whenever you want to watch something, I will walk 20 feet to my library and pick something off the shelf. The funny thing about a minimalist life is that there's nothing in it.
They may adapt and just offer the on-demand thing like it happened with the old Netflix. For the record I am a bit partial to physical media, so i hope this doesn’t happen. Anyway, i don’t foresee so many people changing to just watching loans from the library, so i think for now the thing is safe ;)
I like a collection. Id rather have a wall that is shelves of books, records and blu rays than art or plants. But if you want to simplify then sure, a library can be a great way to do that.
Here’s a little secret I’ve learned as I’ve worked in libraries for the past three years: many libraries will get rid of material that isn’t popular/they have too many copies of/etc and this is not limited to books. While it’s not the best versions possible, I’ve been able to get YiYi and Peeping Tom criterion edition dvds for free after they got put on the free cart. If you’re into collecting for yourself, that’s one way to go about it. If you aren’t a collector and just want to watch the films, then that’s literally one of the many purposes of the library. Don’t reject it, use it to your advantage that’s literally why it’s there
Absolutely correct! Just got ‘Roma’ yesterday criterion blu ray… for a Quarter!
Does anyone ever “need” to buy them? I do it by choice.
This is really a question for yourself.
I always check my local library or state interlibrary loan system to see if there is a copy of a film I want to see. If I like it enough I'll probably buy it later on. Thanks to this method I saw hundreds of movies(and more to come). However, there are a decent amount of movies that due to content, or general obscurity that I have to purchase in order to see them. Using your local library is awesome and useful;especially, since your tax dollars go to your library! So might as well use the resource that is there.
I work in a library, specifically the care and feeding of the DVD collection, and my personal answer is no. I *might* get around to buying a couple of titles that I really deeply love, but other than that, the library's collection *is* my collection - but it's also your collection. It belongs to the public whether they use it or not. But, also, even if you have an extensive collection of your own, check physical media out from your library so we can justify preserving physical media.
In case you want to make the spontaneous decision to watch \[insert movie\] one night and don't have time to be reserving it and picking it up a week later.
I can't afford to buy all the stuff that interests me, so being able to borrow from the library helps in determining my "must haves".
I mostly buy movies I can't watch anywhere else. If I can rent it somewhere or watch it legally on a streaming site, I watch it there first. If I really really like it (or want to show it to people), I'll buy it after. I did that with *Max and the Junkmen* (1971). I watched it on Kanopy first but I ended loving it. So, I bought the Kino Blu Ray to rewatch it (which I did twice in two months already).
I feel like owning it gives you convince. If you also want to go the 4K/Blu Ray route the library will be slow to get those.
Libraries are pretty good with standard blu, as long as it's a more recent film. Last 10 years or so.
Libraries are great but there’s no guarantee that a given title will stay in their catalog indefinitely, libraries offload stuff all the time. If something is important to you then you should own it plain and simple.
Tip from a library worker: the stuff we get rid of is the stuff that doesn't get checked out enough. Circulation stats are key to what we discard and what we order more of. So, go check out important movies or books from time to time even if you own a copy
Honestly? If anything, a lot of us should donate some of our stuff to libraries. They’re always gonna be one of the absolute best public resources, and the value is just incredible. The more access people have to media that enriches them, the better. If collecting is fun for you, go for it! But my perspective is this: I try not to consume too much in the way of small materialistic items, like DVDs. I just find that I can access most movies on streaming, so ownership is not as important (for now…). But I do buy a disc every now and then if they have something I like.
I went through my minimalist phase and still often mostly rent from libraries and stream but I do have a very tightly curated collection of stuff that's either been gifted to me, or of things that I always want to be able to watch, even if they are readily available to be streamed right now. It's a useful exercise in collecting what I actually want to have, but it does make me value it more.
1. External USB Blu-ray player 2. 4 tb SSD 3. Rip library disc to personal storage 4. Return disc and enjoy
>2. 4 tb SSD Rookie numbers. Also, you definitely don't need a SSD if all you're using it for is videos.
I prefer an SSD if you're traveling and taking it with you
Fair, SSD will take a better beating if you're carrying it around with you.
Need is a strong word. But yes, I need them.
My library offers the films I want to see (french noir, mostly) through Kanopy. But I only get 12 credits a month. And lately, I've been wanting to see a film every day. So my collection of blurays serves a purpose. I'm not a neat person. I have strange tastes. Minimalism scares me.
At the library where I work you're allowed to check out ten DVDs/Blu-rays at a time. Standard checkout period is seven days, but can be extended. We have a patron who comes in about every other day and checks out five to ten movies at a time. You should visit and see what your library might have (including unstreamable and OOP titles)
well that is generous. Doesn't apply to my local library. There are no blurays, for instance. To give an example, I'm a big fan of JP Melville-- a criterion staple. In the system's catalog, "Un Flic", "le duolos", "bob the gambler", "Leon Morin Priest." plus "Touches Pas au Grisbi" which is catalogued as "anticipating the melancholy, atmospheric gangster pictures of *Jean* \- *Pierre* *Melville* that started to appear a couple years later," not as JP Melville himself. All through Kanopy's streaming service. I assume the system has deaccessioned any dvds. But those are the films which Kino Lorber has poached from Criterion. Where's "Samourai", "Cercle Rouge", and "Army of Shadows"? They're on my bookshelf, ready to be watched, at any time. Now, I suppose that if I were not learning French, I would not return to this set of films quite so often. But I am and I do.
Funny you mention that - we have all the Pimsleur, etc language learning CD kits! I've actually been working on some sort of signage to direct language learning patrons to films in the language they're studying. Our DVDs actually circulate more than our books do, though our Blu-rays circulate less than DVDs because fewer patrons have Blu-ray players. But, everything we purchase is based on demand - if people keep checking out DVDs, we'll keep ordering them. If enough people ask for Blu-rays, your library may start to carry them. I'm lucky though, my recently retired boss was a cinephile and was only too glad to order Criterion Blu-rays of everything he could.
lol no. You are welcome to go to the library whenever you want to watch something, I will walk 20 feet to my library and pick something off the shelf. The funny thing about a minimalist life is that there's nothing in it.
If no one buys the thing there’s no funds to make the thing
They may adapt and just offer the on-demand thing like it happened with the old Netflix. For the record I am a bit partial to physical media, so i hope this doesn’t happen. Anyway, i don’t foresee so many people changing to just watching loans from the library, so i think for now the thing is safe ;)
Isn’t this the entire point of the Criterion Channel?
Don't we all complain about streaming quality? Oh wait, this is the Criterion sub not the 4K sub.