PRH Open License Online Story Time and Classroom Read-Aloud Videos and Live Events

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Mr. Skip Dye. Senior VP of Library Sales and Digital Strategy for Penguin Random House recently appeared on the “Turn the Page” podcast of the Syosset Public Library, discussing PRH’s new license for its books/audibooks during the current pandemic. RF does not typically feature news from for-profit entities but thinks this effort worthy of mention now. Thanks, Skip and PRH, for your help in a difficult time:

Here is a link to PRH’s news, which reads as follows:

In order to encourage reading and classroom read-aloud experiences, and to support schools and public libraries forced to close by the escalating COVID-19 outbreak, Penguin Random House is permitting teachers, librarians and booksellers to create and share story time and read-aloud videos and live events, according to the following guidelines:

For Teachers and Educators providing distance learning to students in a virtual classroom setting:

  • Story time or classroom read-aloud videos in which a Penguin Random House book is read aloud and the book is displayed (for picture books) may be created and posted to closed educational platforms such as Google Classroom, Schoology, Edmodo and Discovery Education, in order to replicate the read-aloud book experience that would otherwise be available to educators in the classroom.

  • If a Teacher or Educator plans to share a story time video by recording a video, uploading it to a YouTube channel, and posting a link to that YouTube video inside a closed educational platform, that YouTube video must be designated as “Unlisted” (not “Public”) when uploading. See screenshot for how to choose “Unlisted” while uploading on YouTube.

  • These story time and classroom read-aloud videos may be hosted on the educational platform and/or YouTube (as an “Unlisted” file) until the end of the current school year, after which we request that they be removed from the educational platform and/or from YouTube, unless this permission is extended for the next school semester.

For Booksellers and Librarians who wish to provide a story time reading or other read-aloud experience to young people who would otherwise visit the library or bookstore in person:

  • Story time or read-aloud live events in which a Penguin Random House book is read out loud and the book is displayed (for picture books) may be streamed live, in real time, on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook Live, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • These story time or read-aloud live events may not be maintained in the archive of the social media platform and appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that videos of the live events are not retained. Because these platforms automatically archive live events by default, when your event has concluded, please  locate the recorded live video in your account (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and delete it. See screenshot for how to delete a live video from YouTube after it has concluded.

Reporting requirements – We ask that all educators, librarians, and booksellers please complete this form in order to receive approval from Penguin Random House.  If you have any questions, please email StoryTimeTempPermission@penguinrandomhouse.com.