Special Collections

The Recreational DVD collection consists of movies that might be fun to watch in your leisure time. The collection is mostly popular movies, such as blockbusters, family films, and comedies.

New releases are located on the main floor of the Library near the Recreational Reading area. Older titles are located on the second floor just as you exit the staircase. Educational DVDs are also located in this area. 

The full collection can be browsed in this area and is also found in the Library Catalog. You can search by Author (actors, directors, screenwriter), Subject, or Title. You can also place holds for popular titles. Educational DVDs have a Library of Congress call number. Recreational DVDs have a DVD Rec call number. Make sure to select the type of DVD you are looking for when entering your request or browsing the full collection.

For DVDs we do not own, we can attempt to borrow them through interlibrary loan. Please note that we can only borrow DVDs for classroom use or research purposes. We cannot borrow popular movies on DVDs.

The Library maintains a selective DVD collection of past and present popular films. The Library will occasionally purchase multiple copies of heavily requested films. Emphasis is placed on English language films, but award winning international films in a variety of languages are also acquired.

The Library does acquire TV shows on DVD but typically only series that originally aired on premium cable channels. Exceptions have will be made on a case-by-case basis.

You may view our DVD collections in your home or dorm room for educational, recreational, or research purposes. Possession of a film or video does not confer the right to show the work in public, even if no fee is charged. You also may not upload a copy of a feature motion picture to your Canvas site - popular feature films have different Fair Use rights under copyright.

The Copyright Act of 1976 and portions of the House of Representatives Report (94-1476) provide some conditions under which films or videos can be shown:

• They must be shown only to students and educators as part of an instructional program.
• They must be shown either in a classroom or other school location devoted to instruction.
• They must be shown either in a face-to-face setting or where students and instructors are in the same building or general area.
• They must be shown using a legitimate (that is, not illegally reproduced) copy, with the copyright notice included.

While Section 110(2) of Copyright law, better known as the TEACH Act, does make provisions for online education the DVDs in our Recreational DVD collection do not meet requirements for Fair Use usage. If there is a feature film you wish to use in an online class or provide access through Canvas, please contact Samantha Gust, Head of Collection, to try to obtain licensed access through Swank for the title you wish to show.