1. Three titles limit request per academic year for each faculty member (if title is in subscription or in middle of 3 year lease, that one would not count toward the limit).
2. On Kanopy, request titles if
a. More than 40 students total in all your classes using title.
b. If title appears on bottom of the screen stating request needs to be made.
3. In most cases, we cannot provide streaming for FEATURE FILMS at this time (i.e. traditional hollywood films). Budget augmentation requests have been made via our Program Review to find a way to fill in the hefty cost of leasing these films (To do it right, we likely need an additional $20K a year). One smaller cost option is to get Films on Demand Feature Films for Education, but that subscription ONLY includes select movies from the 20th Century Fox (other major Hollywood companies are through a separate vendor, Swank which would cost the $15K remaining to LEASE individual films on a one year basis). ONE EXCEPTION is Criterion Films. Most ARE available through Kanopy.
4. Sorry, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and the general commercial streaming channels have yet to provide an educational service or platform. In general, their titles are not supposed to be played to a class. One exception are Netflix documentaries such as The 13th but only LIVE in front of a class (not in an online delivery formatO). TV series and movies from these streamers such as the Handmaid's Tale are not available for streaming through the Library (we can always get the DVD's though for checkout purposes or to have for Reserve, if available).
5. We generally are wary of unique platforms (such as those from independent films providing streaming from their own website at a cost) as most often they do not meet ADA compliancy standards and also provide more shaky guarantees of film's continual existence over an extended period of time. For now, we are more responsive to Films on Demand, Kanopy, Alexander Street Press and Swank (if we can secure funding for the last) as platforms to view streaming films.
6. PBS currently does not provide perpetual ownership to streaming. If it's not on Films on Demand, newer films/series, etc. could be available for lease (no more than three years, if available) through Films on Demand, Kanopy OR Alexander Street Press (this means at the end of the one year or three years, it may no longer be available if PBS decides so). Some "classic" PBS films/series may not be available for streaming. While some of these are being preserved via section 110 (with the VCR no longer being made there are rights to convert VHS to digital if no digital format exists) around 90% of the time they are NOT closed captioned (unless maybe the WGBH series). Keep in mind some true classic (Eye of the Storm ("brown eyes"/"blue eyes")) may not be available or achievable at this time (and keep in mind this last one was originally produced by CBS).
7. What if title is not available in these platforms? Can't be found for streaming? Kanopy does encourage for you to request a title, but most often they may not have agreements with the company at hand (especially if it turns out to be a major Hollywood company).
Films on Demand is the Library's subscription database to a large wealth of educational films and documentaries. Always check to see what's in our subscription first before requesting any titles. As this may be the place where your desired title (or a very comparable one in quality) exists!
The Library also perpetually owns three additional titles (these three were titles that left the subscription. For some of the titles (not PBS though, unfortunately), Films on Demand does offer the opportunity to get perpetual rights to a title before it leaves the database. Check your Emails each December and June to find out what's leaving (I make a point to forward their drop list) and let us know if there's a title you want "saved" if it can be done.
In addition, some Kanopy titles may appear on the bottom of the list and are NOT available for viewing. Why? They come from a company featured in Films on Demand and there is often overlap. IF A TITLE IN KANOPY CANNOT BE PLAYED AND IS NOT IN FILMS ON DEMAND, SEND A REQUEST TO NORMAN BUCHWALD FOR POSSIBLE LEASING. (Note: sometimes a title may not be in the Films on Demand subscription but may be available for leasing there as well. Obviously, the most attractive pricing/model will determine which of the two it will be).
