CVS Midwest Tape Collections Ease Selection Process

In addition to an already wide range of eclectic collections, CVS Midwest Tape also offers collections dedicated solely to the most popular and latest Canadian CD, DVD, and audiobook titles.

The collections, featuring material produced in Canada, are broken down by format and sorted by genre.

To view the scrollable list of collections, select the Canadian Collections button on the right sidebar of the CVS Midwest Tape homepage.

Make sure to check the lists often as we update them every week. Also, we will add Playaways and Blu-rays in the near future.

Does your library use our collection services? What type of collections would your library find most beneficial?

Ontario and British Columbia Transition to Harmonized Sales Tax

Beginning July 1, 2010, a new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) will be implemented in Ontario and British Columbia at 13% and 12% respectively. Administered by the Canadian Revenue Agency, the HST will replace any existing Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and/or Goods and Services Tax (GST) currently in effect for these provinces.

What is the Harmonized Sales Tax?
Currently, the PST is charged at every step of production, distribution, and retail processes. The added cost of PST is then passed down to consumers along with a separate GST charge. [i]

However, after July 1, the Canadian Revenue Agency will combine the PST and GST for an overall 13% or 12% HST, depending on location. The HST is then broken down for use on both the provincial and federal level. In Ontario 8% of the tax will be used towards provincial needs, while 5% will apply to the federal level. Similarly, in British Columbia 7% will be used towards provincial needs and 5% on a federal level. [ii]

Fortunately, after the Canadian Revenue Agency puts the new tax into effect, there will be little change in terms of actual pricing. According to the Ontario Ministry of Revenue, while 17 % of personal and professional services and energy costs will see a new tax, about 83% of products and services purchased by consumers will not. [iii]

What does this mean for libraries?
HST will generally follow the same rules and tax base as the GST, with some exceptions. Audiobooks and Playaways will be eligible for a point-of-sale rebate in Ontario and British Columbia on the provincial portion of the HST. In other words, they will only be subject to the federal portion, or 5%, of the HST. CVS Midwest Tape invoices dated July 1 and after for these provinces will reflect this change.

[i] http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/taxchange/faq.html#q1
[ii] http://hst.blog.gov.bc.ca/faqs/hst-basics/
[iii] http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/taxchange/taxable.html

Street Dates Move Up for Eminem, Miley Cyrus, and Others

Sony, EMI, and Universal Music have bumped up the release dates for their titles originally slated for a June 22^nd release. These titles will now street on June 21^st.

Among the titles hitting the shelves on this date is Eminem’s follow up to last year’s Relapse—the highly anticipated Recovery (UMM394527C for Parental Advisory/UMM394510C for Edited). Demand for this title has been through the roof, so an early release date comes as good news to fans and libraries alike.

Eminem will share the spotlight on June 21^st with Miley Cyrus’s new album Can’t Be Tamed (UMM145446C). Critics claim that Miley displays a new maturity on this, her second full-length release, so eager listeners will surely be anxious to get their hands on this title.

Also scheduled for release on the 21^st are Macy Gray’s first album effort since 2007, The Sellout (UMM320093C), Ozzy Osbourne’s Scream (CMJ611326C), and The Roots’ oft-delayed How I Got Over (UMM094601C for Parental Advisory/UMM094632C for Edited).

If you have already received your copies of any of these releases, you can display them starting on Monday, June 21, 2010 instead of waiting until Tuesday.  Please post any questions you have here as comments, or call Customer Service at 1.866.698.2231.

Promote Your Audiovisual Collection with CVS Midwest Tape Posters

Is your library looking for a way to liven its shelves while promoting its audiovisual collection? CVS Midwest Tape has what your library needs– special edition posters.

Created in-house, the free posters feature original and relevant artwork for audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs. We create three new, fun, and attractive designs featuring cohesive themes each month. From seasonal and holiday posters to those centered on genres and trivia questions, libraries have a plethora of designs to choose from.

 A holiday CD poster from December.

 A mystery genre DVD poster from November.  

  A trivia audiobook poster from March.

Pick your favorites, or download a zip file of all the posters currently available. You can find this month’s posters, along with an archive of previous months, on the right sidebar under the free resources tab on the CVS Midwest Tape homepage.

Click image to enlarge.

Here you will be able to view the most recent pieces as well as artwork from months prior.

 Click image to enlarge. 

You can print the 8 ½” x 11” posters, formatted as PDFs, from the CVS Midwest Tape homepage or save and use them as wallpaper or screensavers on your libraries’ computer. Make sure to check back often, as well, because we upload three new posters each month.

How has your library taken advantage of our special edition posters? Have you noticed an increase in patron awareness and circulation?

Avatar, Wal-Mart Tackle Blu-ray

Once again, Avatar has made history.

The mega-blockbuster shattered the first-day Blu-ray sales record by selling 1.2 million copies on April 22 and became the number-one bestselling Blu-ray title just two days later.¹ Both records were previously held by The Dark Knight, which sold 600,000 copies its first day and 2.8 million copies since its release. As of now, Avatar has sold more than 6.2 million Blu-rays, ² making up roughly 22% of the entire Blu-ray market.³

Good News, Bad News
On the back of Avatar’s astounding success, Blu-ray’s market share grew to 13%, up 1% from last month. However, global Blu-ray sales are down 20% compared to last year, which is disheartening until you look at DVD sales, down 35%.⁴ It would seem that, until the economy rebounds, consumers will continue to fulfill their entertainment needs through other mediums, such as libraries.

Wal-Mart to the Rescue
Even with the discouraging numbers, Blu-ray is poised to steadily increase its market share. Earlier in May, Wal-Mart announced that it will bring back its $78 Magnavox Blu-ray player, which is the cheapest price on any model across North America. Although there is no word on when it will be available to consumers, Wal-Mart’s decision to sell the affordable player can only help the Blu-ray market. The Arkansas-based department store chain will also boast a number of internet-enabled Blu-ray players and televisions that will allow consumers to get the most out of their Blu-rays’ special features. ⁵

What Does This Mean for Libraries?
With Wal-Mart offering cost-effective Blu-ray players and films such as Avatar providing premier viewing experiences, patron demand for Blu-ray titles, will continue to grow.

Have you noticed any trends with Blu-ray in your library? Has patron demand increased with recent, heavy-hitting Blu-ray releases like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland? Share your thoughts below.

¹http://gizmodo.com/5524842/avatar-blu+ray-breaks-sales-records-by-doubling-them
²http://gizmodo.com/5537126/avatar-blu+ray-sales-now-total-62m
³http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2010/05/03/avatar-dominates-record-market-share-week-for-blu-ray-disc/
⁴http://www.blu-raystats.com/NewsLog/2010/05/24/market-share-steady-and-revenues-down-over-last-year/