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Showing films and television shows in an in-person class is generally considered fair use and does not require a performance license or special approval. Faculty who wish to play DVDs in class should contact their college ITC to request a DVD player as most classroom computers no longer have disk drives.

If you teach online, you have a few options. Whichever option you choose, it's best to avoid sharing a video live (such as over Zoom) and instead have student access the film on their own devices. You can:

• Use works that the library has negotiated licenses for classroom use. You can browse our current video and media database for available videos.
• Review the TEACH Act to see if your use meets its requirements. The TEACH Act allows for limited portions of videos and audio to be played or embedded in an online class if the video was legally acquired and is integral to the course content. You can read more about the application of the TEACH Act for online instruction in this recent Library of  Congress blog post, TEACHing from a Distance and Copyright Considerations

Whether you're teaching online or in-person, you'll want to ensure that the film includes closed captioning. Closed captioning can be helpful for many students, not only hearing-impaired students.