[Original posting on this topic is reproduced below; the response follows it.]
From: Allan Scherlen <scherlnag_at_appstate.edu>
How do academic libraries manage the exhibition rights of documentary
videos they purchase which include educational, non-commercial exhibition
rights in the sale price of the videos? Are these video titles put on a
list of videos OK to show to the public? Is a note put in the cataloging
record? Are patrons who ask for documentation to prove the video is
permissible to exhibit to a group for educational, non-commercial purposes
given such documentation or told to contact the vendor, or is some other
procedure followed?
Some background:
Many documentary vendors include educational exhibition rights (beyond the
classroom) in the price of the documentary video - hence the high retail
price. This practice of wrapping rights on the front end is more common
than many librarians realize. Nevertheless, because of strict copyright
laws governing home videos, many libraries have blanket library policies
that ask the student or faculty member showing a video publically to be
responsible themselves for checking with the vendor about permissions to
exhibit. But this kind of blanket policy can create a vicious circle. Some
documentary vendors, we hear, are getting frustrated with calls or e-mails
directly from patron exhibitors and referring them back to their
library. They expect the patron exhibitor to be informed about exhibition
rights by their librarian who purchased the video and they expect libraries
to keep track of which videos they purchased that are licensed for public
exhibit. Since librarians want to be ever so careful not to get in legal
trouble by OK-ing a video that may not have exhibition rights, managing
these titles among the many low cost home video titles that do not have
such rights must be a widespread problem among libraries. Any ideas on
good practices?
Thank you,
Allan Scherlen
Collection Development Librarian for the Social Sciences
Appalachian State University
325 University Drive
PO Box 32026
Boone, NC 28608
828-262-2285
828-262-3001 (fax)
scherlnag_at_appstate.edu
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(1) From: Susan Erickson <susan.erickson_at_vanderbilt.edu>
When I worked in a media department at another library (through 1998), we
decided to handle this by adding a local note to videos that were purchased
with public performance rights. This practice was particularly useful
because we were part of a consortium that had agreed to circulate videos
among the institutions. Because the note displayed in our shared catalog,
the staff at the other institutions had the information necessary to advise
their faculty in the use of the videos. I kept any licensing paperwork on
file.
Sue Erickson
Bibliographer for Anthropology and Sociology
Reference and Data Services Librarian
Central Library
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37240
sue.erickson_at_vanderbilt.edu
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Received on Fri Mar 04 2005 - 17:04:49 EST