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The Ames Library

Non-Classroom Use of Films on Campus

If you wish to show a film to a student group on campus as a co- or extra-curricular events (departmental film screenings, film festival, student organization showings, etc.),  public performance rights (PPR) are necessary regardless of format.  Films that you rent from commercial establishments or record at home are for personal viewing only. Films on commercial streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) are also for personal use only and therefore can not use used for public performance viewing. Support for obtaining performance rights may be available from the  Office of Student Involvement and through Student Senate.

Some films available in the library's streaming collections do include PPR:

  • You can search Kanopy for films with PPR  using the "Public Performance Rights"  filter on your search results  (last filter on the left); films with PPR in Kanopy will include a PPR logo in the description and can be shown on campus as long as the event is not advertised off-campus and no admission fee is charged or collected. (Here are step-by-step instructions.)
  • Streaming video from  DigitalTheatre+, Feature Films for Education, and the PBS Video Collection  can also be used by IWU student groups for non-classroom viewing on campus as long as the event is not advertised off-campus and no admission fee is charged or collected. 
  • All films* purchased or subscribed to through Alexander Street, whether streaming or DVD, include limited public performance rights, which includes permission for classroom showings, as well as on-campus or in-library public screenings, as long as no admission is being charged. *Excluding Sony Pictures Classics, and National Theatre titles.  National Theatre titles can be used in classroom or lecture room for teaching purposes.

Student groups should consult the  Office of Student Involvement  through whom support for obtaining performance rights may be available. Faculty seeking to show a film outside of class can consult the  University Librarian & Copyright Officer.

To investigate whether or not the film you'd like to show includes PPR or has other conditions for group viewing, or if you have questions about showing any film, please contact the  University Librarian & Copyright Officer. 

If you're looking for information about showing a film in your classroom, please consult our Video for Classroom Use page.