Q. What is the Library's policy for streaming films?

The Lindell Library provides access to streaming film in fulfillment of our mission to support the curriculum while complying with U.S. Copyright Law and fair use guidelines. 

Public Performance Rights (PPR) are required if you are screening copyrighted media to audiences for purposes that fall outside regular curriculum-based instruction.

Purposes that fall outside regular instruction include (but are not limited to):

• Student organization events (e.g. movie night)
• Meetings, programs, or other events on campus
• Film series/festivals

PPR are not required for:

• Home viewing (or in your dorm room).

• Screening media in the context of face-to-face teaching in the service of regular curricula.

  • ​See: Title 17 of the United States Code, Chapter 1, Section 110.
     

Database-specific streaming rights:

• All films featured in the Library's subscription to Films on Demand contain PPR, per Licensing Term 1(a): The videos in your subscription include public performance rights and can be shown in class, in the library, or remotely to students, faculty, patrons, and community members.
   
• Films in Swank Digital Campus do not always include PPR, so individuals will need to verify PPR rights prior to viewing. From Augsburg's licensing agreement: "The streaming license provided for motion pictures is for non-theatrical private showings only. Screenings are intended for individual use only and cannot be open to the public or advertised through media such as radio, television or newspaper. Films may not be duplicated, copied, modified, or captured in any permanent way by your use of computer or digital recording device." (See Swank FAQs about copyright and licensing.)
   
• Kanopy contains selected films with PPR. Look for the "PPR" icon on the film's page in Kanopy, or you can find these films by applying the "Public Performance" filter to your search results. (See Kanopy's FAQ about PPR.)

Physical Media

Some of the films in the library’s DVD collection have PPR; most do not. The DVDs with PPR are generally either documentaries or educational films. The library’s feature films do not have PPR. In the case where a film does not have public performance rights, it is the responsibility of the user, not the library, to investigate the procurement of PPR.