The following is based on the Association of College & Research Librarians Standards and Guidelines for Media Resources in Academic Libraries:

4.1  Media Services mission statement
It is the mission of the Wake Tech Libraries Media Collection to seek, evaluate, obtain and facilitate the use of resources and information that support the college's curricula, student and faculty resource needs and overall community information expectations. These activities include providing materials in print and non-print formats to stimulate and support information literacy.

Wake Tech Library Services is responsible for developing a multi-disciplinary collection of multimedia formats that supports students, faculty and staff research and instruction needs. It is representative of the entire curriculum of the college. The selection process is collaborative and initiated by faculty request and collection analysis.

4.2  Media collection development
Wake Tech's media collection is comprised of non-print materials, mostly DVDs and CDs, but also digital images and printed material accompanying media items. So, while it is a general rule to favor CDs to cassettes and DVDs to VHS, this consideration does not determine every purchase, nor does it preclude purchasing a single, core or requested title in multiple formats. Preference is given to items that will be used widely and often.

There are two main media collections housed at each library: Teaching and Research Media Collection and Browsing Collection. The collection priorities are different for each.

Teaching and Research Media Collection

• The collection supports the curriculum and mission of Wake Tech. Titles are purchased across every subject though some classes, such as Introduction to Film or Music Appreciation, lend themselves more readily to audiovisual resources and have a larger number of items for classroom use. Closed captioning is considered to be one of the primary standards for addition into the collection.
• Specific title purchases are initiated by instructor or departmental request and are housed in the library collection. Titles that are instructional materials that meet the objectives of only one course or one part of one course should be purchased by that department for exclusive classroom use. These titles should be housed in their respective departments.
• Selection is also based on reviews from library sources such as Choice, Library Journal and AudioFile. Items are evaluated according to the following criteria:
  • Accuracy/authoritativeness
  • Timeliness of information (is it up-to-date?)
  • Level of treatment (overview or analysis?)
  • Technical quality
  • Relative cost
  • Services offered to students with disabilities include viewing visual media with assistive technology, captioned or subtitled films and media transcripts. On a case-by-case basis and at the request of the Disability Support Services Office, a particular title may be captioned or transcribed.

Browsing Collection

• The collection is comprised mainly of DVDs, audiobooks and CDs, often donated through a "Friends of the Library" donation and titles no longer used in classroom instruction. This collection is supplemented by occasional purchases, when the budget allows, as suggested by faculty, staff and students.
• The collection is available to community, staff, faculty and students for one-week check out of music and films and three weeks for audiobooks. Items in this collection are designated "Public AV" in the catalog for the Southern Wake Campus Library. Other campuses shelve all AV items together.

4.3  Circulation
Circulation rules may differ by type of user and type of material, with exceptions made depending on particular circumstances. Circulation rules by type of material are listed below, as well as services offered to faculty for securing access to items needed for classroom instruction. 

• Audiovisual Materials (DVDs, CDs)
• Audiovisual materials in the Teaching and Research Collection are available for one-week checkout only to faculty and staff. Fines are not charged for overdue items for faculty and staff. Renewals are available by phone, email, the online catalog or in person.
• Students may check out items from the Teaching and Research AV Collection on Southern Wake Campus for in-house viewing only. Use of AV items from the Teaching and Research Collection for in-class presentation is allowed. Items must be checked out and returned immediately after class.
• Audiovisual materials in the Browsing Collection are available to faculty, staff, students and community members for one-week checkout, with one renewal allowed. Items may be renewed by phone, email, the online catalog or in person.
• Interlibrary loans of AV materials are not generally supported within the North Carolina Community College Consortium, but materials may be requested and considered for loan on a case-by-case basis.
• Media loans from the State Library may be initiated though the Public Services Librarian at each campus. Titles can be selected from the State Library Media Catalog. Materials are requested via email or telephone, and the State Library asks for one week to process the request. Items are sent via U.S. mail, and time must be allotted for transit to campus. While the standard delivery method is U.S. mail, an instructor may arrange to pick up the item from State Library. This is considered on a case-by-case basis and determined by the State Library.
• Loans between Wake Tech campuses are initiated via the online catalog's "holds" function. Requests can be initiated by faculty, staff or students, and regular circulation rules apply. For example, if a student needs a DVD from the Perry Health Sciences Campus, it can be requested via the catalog by placing a hold. The student must watch the DVD in house, in accordance with the existing restriction on student borrowing of AV materials. Holds and loans may also be requested through the Public Services librarian at each campus.

4.4  Media reserves
Media reserves are items that have been selected by instructors as important supplementary course material. They are housed in the Reserves section of the library and are kept in "closed stacks" behind the circulation desk.

Instructors placing reserves:

• The Reserve Request form must be filled out and signed to make reserves available for student use. The form (either the print version or online) includes a description of the item, term of use and a copyright statement.
• Media reserves may be used for multiple semesters with properly signed and dated Reserve Request forms and are limited to legally purchased/owned media. Homemade items may be allowed but will be considered on a case-by-case basis according to current copyright laws and guidelines. No item that violates copyright may be placed on reserve.
• Media items will be shelved with books and other reserve items according to course number. A reserves index is available for student use so that they may find items by instructor name or course number. In addition, there is a brief record made of instructor-owned items so that the item may be accessed through the online catalog.

Any instructor-owned media items will be processed for use in the reserves collection. Students using reserves:

• Wake Tech student IDs act as library cards and are needed to check out reserve material. Reserve items, with few exceptions, are intended for use in the library only. They do not leave the library.
• Reserves may be located on the library website under the reserves link or by using the reserves index found at the circulation desk. Usually, reserve items are available for two hours at a time.

4.5  Instruction
Instruction covering media collections is available through the reference department. Specialized instruction on media use, research, e-book workshops or other topics is also available. Periodically, there are workshops created to meet a perceived need among faculty or staff, and these will be advertised as they arise. Individualized instruction with regard to media for faculty or staff is also available, upon request of the Public Services Librarian.