Many professors assign streaming videos to illustrate, demonstrate, and communicate course content. Often these are licensed (rented) by the library for one year at a time. So, even if a video was available previously, faculty should check the library catalog to make sure it’s still accessible before assigning it to students. We license videos on platforms such as Alexander Street Press, Films on Demand, Docuseek, and Kanopy, only by faculty request.
For faculty, please see our guide to Videos & Streaming Media for Faculty and use the form linked there to request video acquisitions. Please be aware that brand-new videos might not be on the market yet, and older titles may be out of distribution. Obtaining streaming rights may take longer, and is not always possible.
For students, please ask a librarian if you need assistance in obtaining access to videos. Unfortunately we can only fill faculty requests and cannot fill student requests for Kanopy or other videos. Much of the Kanopy collection is available from the San Francisco Public Library, for which any California resident, including students, can have borrowing privileges.