Audiovisual Materials Access Policy

UCLA Library's policy for audiovisual materials access, including eligibility criteria and alternatives when streaming is not possible

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Effective September 1, 2026

UCLA Library acquires audiovisual materials in multiple formats, with access dependent on format and permissions.

Streaming is one way UCLA Library provides access to audiovisual collections, so long as the materials are:

In the public domain; or
Licensed for Library streaming distribution; or
Materials for which the Regents hold the copyright or a license/rights to stream; or
Are not protected by a Technical Protection Measure (TPM)(opens in a new tab) (as found in s.1201 of the DMCA) or other type of contractual restriction; or
The person making the request obtained permission to unlock the TPM and stream or otherwise use the materials for educational purposes and provided the Library with appropriate documentation; or
Requested for research and the use is determined to be fair use.

The Library reserves the discretion to manage access methods based on resources, internal processes and technology capacity.

Review date: July 2027

Audiovisual materials that do not meet the above criteria cannot be streamed by the Library.

For materials that cannot be streamed via the Library, the following access options may be available:

On-site viewing in the Powell Library Instructional Media Lab.
On-site viewing in the Arts and Music Libraries (see a full list of viewing/listening locations(opens in a new tab)).
Check out a physical copy for viewing in an alternative location. The Library lends out a limited number of optical drives to facilitate viewing elsewhere.
For course reserves, the instructor may create a playlist or assign titles for rental, purchase or subscription to a commercial source as course materials.
The user conducts a risk assessment about their planned usage and is responsible.

For more information about streaming materials for teaching, please visit Course Reserves and Instructional Media Collections and Services.
Access to archival materials held in UCLA Library Special Collections (LSC) may be accessible in the Reading Room in the Charles E. Young Research Library or via other methods; please consult with LSC by contacting AskLSC@library.ucla.edu.
Access to collections in the UCLA Film & Television Archive may be accessible in the Instructional Media Lab or via other methods; please contact arsc@cinema.ucla.edu.

Instructors with questions about fair use and other copyright assessments should contact copyright@library.ucla.edu.