Black Film Center/Archive Media Circulation Policy

Video, DVD, Laserdisc and/or Sound Recordings

1/2", DVD, Laserdisc (media) and sound recordings housed in the BFC/A circulate to Indiana University Faculty/instructors to preview or to show in a classroom enviornment. All others must watch or listen to media and sound recordings at the BFC/A.

All loans must be approved by a BFC/A staff member. Instructors must call ahead (855-6041) or send an e-mail message (bfca@indiana.edu) to reserve media and sound recordings, particularly those needed for classroom use. On the spot requests will not guarantee availability of materials.

Media and/or sound recordings borrowed for preview or listening may be checked out only by instructors; media and sound recordings borrowed to be shown to a class may be borrowed by instructors or by their designated representatives (e.g., an AI or graduate assistant). If an instructor wants someone else to pick up the recordings, the instructor must call ahead of time to reserve the materials.

Indiana University holds no public performance rights for many of the films in the Black Film Center/Archive collection. Any public showing that is not part of face-to-face teaching may require a license. The films in the public domain, which includes all films with a copyright date of 1923 or earlier and may include others in the collection, may be shown without permission. For the films still protected by copyright, it is the responsibility of the sponsoring department or organization to secure permission or pay a license fee for any public showing.

Media and sound recordings circulate for 5 days. Longer loan lengths must be approved by the director, or designated representative. Borrowers who do not return them promptly will lose borrowing privileges. Another instructor may have planned to use the materials in class that have not been returned on time.

Media and sound recordings must be picked up from and returned to the BFC/A located at Smith Research Center, Suite 180-81. Do not return media or sound recordings via campus mail.

The instructor is responsible for the replacement cost of unreturned or damaged media and sound recordings. Without written consent from the copyright owner, the BFC/A can not make personal copies of media or sound recordings (see fee schedule on-line). Copying media or sound recordings, still under copyright is illegal and in violation of Title 17, U.S. Code, Sections 101, 106 and 202.

16mm Film Prints

As of November 2007, the BFC/A's 16mm films are available on a case by case basis. Most films in the collection are now available on VHS or DVD. For more information, please contact the archivist.

For a complete list of BFC/A holdings in 16mm film, 1/2", DVD, Laserdisc and other formats, please consult our web site: BFC/A Collection.

For additional information, contact the BFC/A.