Libraries in the Times coverage area often request articles be run about movies that be shown at the library.
Sometimes, the articles, which can run up to 300 words, never include the name of the movie in the article.
Instead, the article describes the movie in a way that lets readers know which movie is playing. For example, instead of "Happy Feet," an article might say "a movie about little black and white Arctic birds with dancing feet." Instead of "Armageddon," the article may say "a movie about a big rock which threatens Earth and its possible ultimate demise."
Gloria Rosa, director of Memorial Library in Brodhead, said libraries can purchase two licenses to show movies from film studios. A public viewing license of a movie costs up to $100. With that license, a library may use the title in advertising the movie.
Most libraries, however, usually purchase the less-costly home viewing license. It costs $19 to $29 and libraries are prohibited from using the movie's title in publicizing showing of the movie.
"As long as you don't advertise the titles, and you don't make money off the titles, it's like home viewing," Rosa said.
Monroe Public Library Director Barb Brewer said libraries can find another way around purchasing the public viewing license.
"Any library can use the title of a book, and many movies are made from books," Brewer said. "So you can say, 'a movie based on the book (insert title here),' and you're OK."
Brewer prefers to advertise home-viewed license movies that way, because she says it gives potential viewers "a clearer picture" of what the movie is.
Rosa said Brodhead's library doesn't have a spot to show movies, but she sees declining interest in movies being shown in libraries.
"Most movies and videos, by the time they're shown at the library, many people have seen it already," Rosa said. "It's not much of a draw."
Brewer said if the movie is shown in the context of a discussion group, such as what Monroe did with "An Inconvenient Truth" recently, the movie still draws a decent crowd.
"But just showing a movie on a Friday or Saturday without it tied to a program, I could agree with Gloria that there's not much interest."
Little Ironies
The other day, a Pizza Hut delivery truck was in the drive-thru at McDonald's. The sign on the truck was lit and the smell of pizza wafted from the vehicle. Was the driver on his way to a delivery and got hungry? Is he not allowed to eat pizza while driving?
An armored car pulled up to a bank's ATM machine the other day. Armored cars are known for being bullet and tamper proof, but in the top left corner of the back of the armored car, where a taillight usually is, was duct tape, about a foot long and six inches wide.
Sometimes, the articles, which can run up to 300 words, never include the name of the movie in the article.
Instead, the article describes the movie in a way that lets readers know which movie is playing. For example, instead of "Happy Feet," an article might say "a movie about little black and white Arctic birds with dancing feet." Instead of "Armageddon," the article may say "a movie about a big rock which threatens Earth and its possible ultimate demise."
Gloria Rosa, director of Memorial Library in Brodhead, said libraries can purchase two licenses to show movies from film studios. A public viewing license of a movie costs up to $100. With that license, a library may use the title in advertising the movie.
Most libraries, however, usually purchase the less-costly home viewing license. It costs $19 to $29 and libraries are prohibited from using the movie's title in publicizing showing of the movie.
"As long as you don't advertise the titles, and you don't make money off the titles, it's like home viewing," Rosa said.
Monroe Public Library Director Barb Brewer said libraries can find another way around purchasing the public viewing license.
"Any library can use the title of a book, and many movies are made from books," Brewer said. "So you can say, 'a movie based on the book (insert title here),' and you're OK."
Brewer prefers to advertise home-viewed license movies that way, because she says it gives potential viewers "a clearer picture" of what the movie is.
Rosa said Brodhead's library doesn't have a spot to show movies, but she sees declining interest in movies being shown in libraries.
"Most movies and videos, by the time they're shown at the library, many people have seen it already," Rosa said. "It's not much of a draw."
Brewer said if the movie is shown in the context of a discussion group, such as what Monroe did with "An Inconvenient Truth" recently, the movie still draws a decent crowd.
"But just showing a movie on a Friday or Saturday without it tied to a program, I could agree with Gloria that there's not much interest."
Little Ironies
The other day, a Pizza Hut delivery truck was in the drive-thru at McDonald's. The sign on the truck was lit and the smell of pizza wafted from the vehicle. Was the driver on his way to a delivery and got hungry? Is he not allowed to eat pizza while driving?
An armored car pulled up to a bank's ATM machine the other day. Armored cars are known for being bullet and tamper proof, but in the top left corner of the back of the armored car, where a taillight usually is, was duct tape, about a foot long and six inches wide.