The Atlantic County Audio-Visual Aids (AVA) Media Center has been servicing schools with shared educational media resources since 1952 through the establishment of county AVA Commissions by NJ Statute 18A:51. The center began by pooling funds from all county public schools to purchase and share 16 mm films, reel to reel audiotapes and filmstrips and evolved to public and private school members using DVDs, VHSs, laser discs, CD-ROMs, and kits. Teachers can now use our on-line booking for the scheduling of over 7,000 different titles. The current method of distribution being implemented is digital video over the Internet via the AVA Center and media producers directly.
In 1995, in cooperation with the Atlantic County Library, the AVA Center embarked on a county-wide project enabling Atlantic County public and private school students, teachers and administrators to use resources via the Internet. The project is a consortium, whose members can interact with students and teachers from other schools in the county and with the county library. Through the AVA Media Center, students have Internet access and gain exposure to innumerable educational resources, such as teachers and students at other schools.
It is continuing goal of the Atlantic County AVA to assist Atlantic County Educators with educational resources to enliven the twenty-first century classroom.
Sponsored by the Atlantic County Audio-Visual Aids Commission, which provides financial support and long-term planning assistance, the AVA Media Center is a cooperative effort. Other participants in the AVA Media Center include participating school districts, the Atlantic County Superintendent of Schools, the Atlantic County Library, and Atlantic County government administration, including the Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Atlantic County Executive.
To contact the AVA Media Center, please call 609-626-3850 or email ava@stockton.edu