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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Leah Griffith asked some very important questions about
copyright implications of public performances in public libraries. I am
not an attorney, but here is what I have learned about this subject.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#1F497D;margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>We do pay performers to perform
music at our libraries. We don’t charge the audience,
but we pay the performers either musicians or jugglers that may use
background music etc. Does this mean we need
licensing/royalties? <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>One of the conditions for the
use of 17 USC 110(4) is that no payment is made directly for the
performance. If the use does not meet the requirements for Fair Use (17
USC 107) and does not qualify for the exemption you do need to get permission
directly from the copyright owner or pay royalties. Using entire
copyrighted works in a public performance would be very unlikely to qualify for
fair use. However, let’s say you are having a program on the
history of jazz and the performer plays small parts of musical works to support
her arguments. You would need to analyze all four fair use factors but this use
might be fair meaning you would not need to pay to use each piece. Also
if your staff presents the program as a part of their duties the exemption
would apply if all other conditions are met. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=2 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#1F497D;margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>So we pay licensing for showing
movies because they are “dramatic” literary works (Section
4)? <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Yes if the movie is a
dramatic literary work. However, not all movies are dramatic.
Documentaries may qualify for the exemption – see the information on the
difference between dramatic & nondramatic in the document I posted to
libs-OR. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>You do have other
alternatives – look for a movie in the public domain. One place to find
them is </span><a href="http://www.openflix.com/">http://www.openflix.com<span
style='font-weight:normal'>/</span></a></b>; look for a movie with a Creative
Commons License <a href="http://creativecommons.org/">http://creativecommons.org/</a>
that allows noncommercial use; purchase movies that include the right to use in
a public performance. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=3 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:
l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It seems that copyright and
licensing might be two different things. </span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>You are correct. The
copyright owner has a number of exclusive rights that are distinct from
ownership of a work. You buy a work and you can use for its intended purpose
(reading, for example). However, the sale does not transfer exclusive rights
like public performance. Despite that if the use of a work is a fair use
as defined by law (Section 107) or falls within one of the other limits /
exceptions to copyright law you do not have to have permission of the owner. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> The law allows the
owner to transfer any or all of the exclusive rights. One of the ways to do
this is a license. Licenses are governed by state law. If you have acquired a
licensed work fair use and other exemptions in federal law do not apply
unless the license agreement (or terms of use) includes the concepts of fair
use. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Note – because of
another section of copyright law called First Sale (Section 109) – if you
lawfully acquire a work you can sell it, give it away, or lend it without
violating the exclusive rights. That is how American libraries can circulate
books and other library materials. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=4 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:#1F497D;margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:
115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>It does seem like something that
should be more of a black and white answer and it always seems pretty
grey. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Again – you are
correct. Copyright law is very complex. Much of it is deliberately vague
(especially fair use). Whether a use is fair can only be determined
in light of the facts related to the work and the intended use. I
am aware that some local governments purchase licenses from ASCAP and BMI
for all public performances sponsored by their departments. Presumably they are
doing so after consulting an attorney who is well versed in copyright law. Not
all institutional attorneys are. So it is important that library staff
have enough knowledge to ask questions and to consider whether there alternatives
to accomplish the desired goal. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I hope this helps – I am
happy to respond to other questions within the range of my knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Candace
Morgan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>cd_df_morgan@msn.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>(503)
245-3868 (home/office)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>(503)
701-2316 (cell)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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