Fair Use

Dear Video Customer,

This letter regards the warning appearing on Home Videos which prohibits public performance of the tape.

The Educational Record Center purchases all videos advertised in our catalogs directly from the publishers of these copyrighted works. It is our understanding that the Fair Use Provision of the copyright statute, as interpreted by them, allows owners of the copyrighted works limited rights to use the copyrighted works without violation of the 1976 copyright law. It is considered “fair use” for public, private or parochial schools and public or private libraries to show copyrighted works as a part of their ongoing educational programs in face-to-face teaching situations and no prohibition of such use is intended.

It is not “fair use” for schools or libraries to duplicate videos, present them in special showings to large groups, such as assemblies, or to charge admission to public showings of the tapes. These are the types of uses that the warnings are addressing.

If you would like more specific guidelines or permissions, contact our customer service department by mail or call toll-free, 800.438.1637, to obtain addresses of the publishers concerned, as only the copyright owner can give absolute interpretation and permission.