Video Content: Finding Video Content: for Instructors
Finding Video Content for Instructors (Overview)
As an instructor, you may need to show video to your students, whether in class or online (things are simpler if you would like to show a DVD in class, or put one on reserve: it is normally legal to show legally acquired DVDs in a face-to-face classroom, or to put these on reserve).
Process overview: when seeking access to video content for course instruction you should:
- Begin by checking the library catalog, to see if Miami already has a streaming license and/or a DVD of the video. Videos available on DVD can be placed on reserve for students to view in the library or in class. If a streaming video is available, check to see whether it has an expiration date (see below).
- If Miami doesn't have the video you need, check the Kanopy streaming video service has this title available for us to lease. If available, submit a request through Kanopy.
- If Kanopy doesn't have this video, check to see if the SWANK streaming video service has this title available for us to lease. If available, submit a request through SWANK.
- If neither Kanopy nor SWANK has a license available for this service, check to see whether your students can pay to stream this video using a commercial service, by using a price and availability comparison tool such as Justwatch.
- For some films not available through commercial streaming services, Miami may be able to provide streaming access to digitized DVD or VHS content. You can make a fair use request (these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis) for this service by submitting a Streaming Video Reserve request form.
The sections below provide more detail about these steps. Please contact your subject-area librarian for further information, or to request that a librarian look into the best way to provide your students with access to a particular video.
Keep in mind that you may also have access to streaming video for research or other non-instructional purposes through your local public library.
Finding Video Content in the Miami Library Catalog
The Miami library catalog is the best place to start when searching for video at Miami. The catalog provides information about all videos currently accessible through the Miami Libraries, including both streaming video and video on physical media, such as DVDs. While Miami holds video in many formats and has access to many video databases, all videos purchased and currently available through the Miami Libraries can be found using the Miami library catalog. The Miami library catalog does not search free video, and does not provide search results from commercial website such as Youtube or Amazon.
The Miami University library catalog
Some videos leased by Miami have expiration dates. See the expandable sections below for information about searching for videos in the catalog, and checking for expiration dates on streaming video content.
Searches made from the Library's homepage, with the default "Books and More" tab selected will produce search results that include video content, such as film available on DVDs or video streams. Once you have searched using the "Books and More" tab, you can narrow your search results to video only by expanding the "Material Type" tab to the left of the screen, and checking the box for "Videos" (see below).
Because some video content is leased for fixed lengths of time (for example, videos leased from Kanopy are typically leased for one year), you may wish to use the library catalog to see whether a particular video has an expiration date. Some videos have been licensed to Miami in perpetuity and have no expiration date.
In the above example, you can see that the item's Notes field indicates that this video will expire on November 30, 2019. If the item record for a video does not have an expiration date in the notes field, this is likely because Miami had purchased this video permanently, or because Miami pays to renew this resource on a continuing basis.
Browsing Kanopy and Making a Request for a Kanopy Video
Miami University purchases 1 or 3 year licenses to stream films from Kanopy, a streaming video platform with more than 8,000 films including titles from the Criterion Collection, California Newsreel, PBS, the BBC, and a range of independent film and documentary production companies.
The University Libraries considers request for Kanopy titles on an item-by-item basis. Because of the costs and limited duration of Kanopy rental agreements, we prioritize content needed by faculty and students for instructional purposes. Because each request must be considered individually, requests may take several working days to process; please plan accordingly.
Browsing Swank and Making a Request for a Swank Video
Miami University purchases 1-year licenses to stream films from Swank, a streaming video platform with more than 25,000 films titles from major film studios.
The University Libraries considers request for Swank titles on an item-by-item basis. Because of the costs and limited duration of Swank rental agreements, we prioritize content needed by faculty and students for instructional purposes. Because each request must be considered individually, requests may take several working days to process; please plan accordingly.
Browse and search in Kanopy using the link above. After you have logged into Swank Digital Campus, you will see a window listing films currently available on Swank. In the upper-right hand corner of the screen is a search box. Type the title of the movie you are searching for into this box.
When you search for films if you find a title you would like to request, click on the title. For films not presently leased by Miami, you will be asked to complete and submit a form requesting a video (see example below). Once you fill out this form (see the example below) and hit "submit" your request is in process, and you will receive an answer in 5-7 days.
In the above example, you can see that the item's Notes field indicates that this video will expire on November 30, 2019. If the item record for a video does not have an expiration date in the notes field, this is likely because Miami had purchased this video permanently, or because Miami pays to renew this resource on a continuing basis.
Browse and search in Swank using the link above. The Swank homepage will display a list of films currently leased by Miami. If you are an instructor, you will need to create an instructor login to search for and request content not already leased by Miami . Once you are logged in as an instructor, you can use the search box in the upper-right hand corner of the screen to search for a film to request for your class. Type the title of the film you are searching for into the search box and press return.
When you search for films if you find a title you would like to request, click on the title. For films not presently leased by Miami, you will be asked to complete and submit a form requesting a video (see example below). Once you fill out this form (see the example below) and hit "submit" your request is in process, and you will receive an answer in 2-3 working days.
Locating Commercial Streaming Alternatives
In cases where access to streaming video is desired and no copy is available though Kanopy, it may be necessary for students to access video through a commercial streaming video service. There are a number of online services that identify streaming options for video, and that enable price comparisons. For example (the library does endorse or recommend any such site in particular):
Digtial Streaming Video Reserve
In cases where access to streaming video is desired, and no commercial streaming video option are available for students, it may be possible for Miami to provide streaming access to video materials held or acquired on DVD. To make a SVR (streaming video reserves) request, you will need to complete the form located here.