Service Alert
The Library prioritizes providing access to films in a way that is cost-effective and sustainable in the long run for all courses. While streaming is generally inexpensive for individuals (often about $4 per film), streaming licenses for institutions are expensive and usually must be repurchased each semester or year. It costs the Library over $150 per year to license a film and often $167 per semester, per film. DVDs can be purchased for around $25 and used at no additional cost for the life of the disc.
Furthermore, some films are simply not available in streaming format for institutions and may only be available for individuals (e.g. Netflix originals). Streaming platforms may also stop providing access to a film when their licensing agreement with the distributor or production company ends. So, a film that is available to stream one semester may become unavailable the next.
As such, the Library's policy is to purchase DVDs and DVD players for videos used in courses. Students can borrow these if they cannot or do not want to spend the money to stream films. By doing this, we provide all students with the option to watch the films for free. If we are unable to purchase a DVD and there is no other way for students to watch a film for free, then we will try to purchase or license institutional streaming rights for a film when available.
Due to copyright laws, ITS is unable to digitize DVDs. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) prohibits the circumvention of Technological Prevention Measures (TPM) on DVDs and other media for the purpose of copying and distributing their content. Digitizing and streaming an entire DVD is not legally permissible. Currently, there is an exemption permitting faculty to circumvent TPM only to make clips of films for use in teaching and research.
Streaming videos and DVDs accessed through the library may be used by faculty or students in the classroom for any course without violating US copyright law. However, in most cases this material may not be used for lectures/programs outside the classroom. Such use constitutes a public performance, even if the event is free and/or accompanied by lecture or discussion. For more information, please consult the US Code Title 17 Section 110 (1).
Faculty who would like to secure public performance rights for library material should email library@lakeforest.edu. We have public performance licenses for some Kanopy BASE streaming films, and for some DVDs.
