Here are a list of organizations that hold PPR for many films. Swank is a great place to start!
When inquiring about PPR, have the following information on hand:
UWB student groups showing films are required to contact Student Engagement & Activities, ARC-140, (425) 352-5266.
Cascadia student groups showing films should contact Becky Riopel, Director of Student Life.
If you are using a copy from the Library, Suzan Parker, Head, Research Services and Collections, will also need a written confirmation from the distributor of rights purchases.
If you have trouble finding PPR for a film, contact Nia Lam, Media Studies Librarian.
What are Public Performance Rights (PPR)?
Copyrighted films (and this is most of them) are not automatically licensed for public performance (this means showing a movie/film in a dorm, auditorium, or any other kind of public space). The only legal exception to this rule is if an instructor shows the video/dvd in a classroom and that the activity is for teaching (aka: face-to-face teaching).
Do the UW Libraries purchase films with Public Performance Rights?
Due to the extra cost and the fact that we are an academic institution, the Library usually does not purchase films with PPR. Some publishers and distributors (e.g., Films for the Humanities, Film Movement) do include PPR in the purchase price so that these films may be shown anywhere/anytime, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
"Good Popcorn" by Dan is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Sometimes it can be confusing to understand when you need to purchase PPR. In general, any time a film is "display[ed] at a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gathered," (Title 17, U.S. Code) you will need to secure PPR rights.
Our event is free, can't we just show the video?
No. Any time you are holding a public event where anyone can come, it is considered a public performance and you will need to purchase rights. Student clubs, student-run film festivals and similar events are all public performances.
Some film distributors sell films with PPR. These tend to be educational documentaries that are part of the Libraries' collection. Films purchased from these companies include PPR. To see a list of these films available in all UW Libraries, use the links below.
You can book films from the Libraries' collection to be shown on a future date. This ensures that they will be available and not checked out on the day you plan on showing them. Make sure you book as early as possible and no later than 7 days before your expected showing!
To book a film, contact Campus Library Reserves, LB1-311, reserves@uw.edu, 425.352.3650.
University of Washington Bothell & Cascadia College
Campus Library
Box 358550
18225 Campus Way NE
Bothell, WA 98011-8245
425-352-5340 (Voice & Relay)
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Land Acknowledgment: The University of Washington Bothell & Cascadia College Campus Library occupies Land that has been inhabited by Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial. Specifically, this campus is located on Sammamish Land from which settler colonists forcibly removed Coast Salish Peoples to reservations in the mid-19th century. Today, descendants of the Sammamish are members of several Coast Salish communities.