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Copyright and Fair Use

information on copyright and fair use for faculty and students

public viewing

When advising student clubs and/or learning communities, faculty advisors must keep in mind that “public” viewings of film, in which a film is shown in a place open to the public and which anyone can attend, require explicit permission from the copyright owner for "public performance" rights (PPR). DVDs owned by SMCCD libraries, and streaming video content that is licensed by the Libraries, may not automatically come within PPR. Individual videos may allow limited performance rights and it’s best to check with the Library on a title-by-title basis. Neither students nor faculty may stream content from their personal Netflix, Amazon Instant Videos, Spotify or other such subscription services for public display whose Terms of Service allows for personal use only.