Is it OK to play a copyrighted DVD at our organization's meetings

Our non-profit club meets once a month. The gerneral public is welcome and we do not charge for admission.

We maintain a small librabry of books and DVDs that our paid members can borrow for free.

Is it legally OK if we decide to play one of the copyrighted videos during a meeting for an audience of about 100+, or must we receive permission first?

Thanks

I'm not an attorney (or play on on TV) so you would need to verify any advice found here or on the Internet.

If you look at the license agreement on most commercial DVD's you will see a line similar to 'this product is licensed for in home use only', so the permission to show is only in the home environment. Some DVD's will have other licensing, such as a training film for business would have other restrictions.

A google search on: public exhibition movie licensing returns many results including
http://www.mplc.com/
http://outdoorcinema.net/film_licensing.html
http://www.movlic.com

Which has much more in depth information about licensing.

Dave

Thanks,

I think the answer is "No" and that this pretty much covers it...

http://www.williams.edu/library/guides/videos_copyright.php

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Showing a film to a group may require obtaining public performance rights.[1] It is a public performance if ANY of the following are true:

- the screening is open to the public

- the screening is in a public space – access is not restricted

- persons attending are OUTSIDE the normal circle of a family and its acquaintances

examples of public performances:

- showing a foreign-language film to the community for cultural enrichment

- showing a film to your club or organization

- instructor showing a film in the classroom for curriculum-related purposes, but inviting persons outside the class to attend

- instructor showing a film to the class for curriculum-related purposes, but in a public or unrestricted-access location
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The only additional is you can purchase a license to have a public performance of many movies. So the answer can be yes if you get permission and pay the fee as required.

Dave