DVDs, or "digital video discs" as they sometimes referred to, first appeared on the American scene in 1997. Early signs would seem to indicate that the medium is on the verge of enjoying the kind of success typifying the compact disc during the latter half of the 1980s. Retail outlets are selling new releases at a healthy clip and all major Hollywood film companies are now making titles available in this configuration.
 
 

The format's data storage capacity - expanded from the 650 MB CD standard to 4.7 gigabytes (a potential for holding seven times as much information) - has made it possible to contain at least one feature-length motion picture on a single five-inch disc. Without resorting a wide array of technical specs, let it suffice to note that DVDs offer higher quality video images and digital audio than any prior AV format. Furthermore, in addition to standardizing certain features previously available only on high-end laser discs (e.g., supplementary resources of an interactive nature, multiple audio tracks), the first wave of programming has offered many innovative features such as optional viewing angles and a choice of subtitles in several different languages. Other advantages include competitive pricing (ranging from under twenty dollars to about thirty dollars for entertainment films available in the video medium for the first time; budget titles are retailing for as low as five dollars), ease of use, and the projected durability of the format (like other laser-optical products, no discernable wear takes place during playback).
 
 

There are a few drawbacks to DVDs, particularly when taking into account the needs of teachers and librarians. These include:

• The limited number of education-related or reference titles (as of late 1998, entertainment films, pop culture documentaries, and music concerts comprised the vast majority of available releases);
• The presence of little or no supplementary paper material (critical essays, extensive production credits, souvenir albums, etc.), particularly with respect to budget and midline titles;
• The continued release of many titles which don't take advantage of the capabilities of the medium (i.e., many movies on DVD don't differ much from their VHS configuration); and
• The absence of a DVD recording option at a price affordable to the general public has resulted in a continued commitment to the VHS format.

Educators - seemingly always slow to commit to a new medium - are missing out on the opportunity to play a central role in the development of DVDs. Manufacturers of DVD equipment and software are going to be most responsive to the needs and interests of those consumers who are actively purchase their products. The DVD format appears likely to be around for many years to come; librarians and teachers are not going to see a considerable increase in the kind of programming material they prefer until the few representative titles already out there begin to sell in quantities somewhat approaching that of the more popular entertainment films.