Ok I am going to move off of technology aspect for this blog today and focus on a library project organized to try build awareness of a scifi program.

A little background:
A tv series called Farscape used to run on the SciFi channel. Farscape first debuted in 1999 and ran four seasons. Its scifi scripts were sprinkled with humor, character development, and tension. Although the SciFi channel signed a contract giving the series a fifth season, it was abruptly canceled in 2002. Despite numerous awards and praise from critics, network executives cited raiseing costs and lower ratings as a reason to cancel the show.

Fans of the cancelled show started a grassroots campaign aimed at bringing the show back to tv. SaveFarscape.com was born. One of the many things that fans did was try to attract other people to the show and to build on the number of Farscape fans. One such project was the Farscape Library Project. Through donations and fundraising they are giving libraries DVDs and videos of the tv season episodes.

I thought this was a neat. Not only does is it a chance for fans to try to get an even larger fan base for a show, but I am wondering if there is a benefit to libraries. I personally believe so because I am a fan of the show and I think it is a quality show that would do well in a library's scifi video collection. I think it is no different than somebody donating a set of videos (or DVDs) of Sex in the City or The Sopranos.

But since I am in medical library and Farscape is not of a really considered a body of medical information, I have not had any direct evidence or knowlege of how this is received within public libraries. I did do a search in Cleveland Public Library's catalog, Cuyahoga Public Library's catalog, and Lakewood Public Library's catalog (my local public libraries). Of the three libraries, Cleveland Public had the most copies of videos and DVDs. Just from browsing it seems that these are popular in all three libraries, the majority of items are either checked out or on hold.

I am just wonder if there are public librarians out there who have experience anything positive or negative or anything at all from the Farscape Library Project. Could it be that the videos are just particularily popular right now since Farscape: The PeaceKeeper Wars mini series recently aired? I just was curious. I am also curious if there are any types of book or video drives similar to this where fans are giving these kind of donations to libraries.