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Streaming Video Services (Regionals): Streaming Video Content Resources
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.
Streaming Video Resources at Miami University Libraries
- KanopyKanopy is a streaming video platform with more than 8,000 films from a variety of important collections and producers, including the California Newsreel, Green Planet, PBS, and more.
Search or browse for a film. Films that appear at the top of the results list are currently licenced by Miami University Libraries and will play when you click the play button. These films can be added directly to Canvas using the Share or Embed options.
If you scroll to the bottom of the results page, you will see a list of films available through Kanopy, but which are not currently licensed by Miami University Libraries. When you click on the titles to these films, a request form will appear. Please fill out the form and the libraries will receive and review your request to purchase a one-year license for the film. - Swank Digital CampusSwank Digital Campus provides a customizable academic streaming library of over 25,000 feature films, documentaries and foreign films from the largest movie studios, including Walt Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, NBCUniversal, Columbia Pictures, Lions Gate, MGM, Miramax and many more. SWANK videos can be embedded in Canvas and watched on tablets/mobile devices. Information about these options is available online. Click "more" for login information.
- Films on Demand This link opens in a new windowFilms on Demand (FOD) offers curriculum-focused streaming video titles produced by Films for the Humanities and Sciences. NOTE: Small set of hosted videos available until 3/2024
- American History in VideoAmerican History in Video provides the largest and richest collection of video available online for the study of American history, with 2,000 hours and more than 5,000 titles on completion.
- Education in VideoEducation in Video provides a large and rich online collection of video available for the study of teaching methods and education theory. Upon completion, the collection will contain more than 1,000 video titles totaling 750 hours of teaching demonstrations, lectures, documentaries, and primary-source footage of students and teachers in actual classrooms.
- VideosThis page lists many subscription and free collections of streaming video resources available through Miami's libraries.
- New World Cinema: Independent Features & Shorts, 1990-present This link opens in a new windowThis collection includes approximately 200 full-length feature films from leading independent distributors such as Kino Lorber, First Run Features, Film Movement, MK2, and Global Lens. There are also some 50 award winning short films. All films were presented at major film festivals, many were nominated for awards, and many have won major awards. Films include the Oscar-nominated Twilight Samurai, directed by Yoji Yamada, Oscar-nominated The Scent of Green Papaya, directed by Tran Anh Hung, Oscar-nominated Dogtooth, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, and Cannes Grand Jury Prize winner The Piano Teacher, directed by Michael Haneke. Collectively the films in the database have won more than 1,000 awards.
Where to Find Free or Rental Streaming Videos
- YidioEnter a film title into the search bar. When you click the film title from the results list, Yidio shows where you can legally stream (for free), rent, or buy the film online. Some of the sites listed as streaming require a subscription to the service to be accessed "for free."
- Just WatchEnter a film title into the search bar. When you click the film title from the results list, JustWatch shows where you can legally stream (for free), rent, or buy the film online. Some of the sites listed as streaming require a subscription to the service to be accessed "for free."
Please see the tab for discounted and free video subscription services to reduce subscription costs for some services. - PBSGo to the individual show website (linked as "official website" from the pages linked in the list at this URL) to see if individual episodes are available for free. Some may require a Passport (available with membership in a local PBS station).
- Sony CrackleFree feature length films with ads. Users must create an account.
- PopcornFlixNo account is needed to watch.
- YouTube MoviesSome movies are made freely available here with ads, others are rentals. No account is needed to watch.
- TubiIncludes free movies and TV shows with ads. No account is needed to watch.
- VuduSome movies are made freely available here with ads, others are rentals. Users must create an account.
- RokuIncludes movies and TV shows. You can stream Roku without having a player or enabled TV. Users must create an account. Note: Works in the US only, if streaming from a desktop browser.
- NetflixA NOTE ABOUT NETFLIX: *Some* Netflix Originals Documentaries are available for one-time educational screenings, such as in the classroom. Unfortunately, these titles cannot be streamed in online courses for students to watch individually.
To see whether a Netflix Original documentary film is available for F2F classroom screenings, click the link above and search for the film title in the search box. If the film appears in the results list, click it and look for this message on the detailed information screen that appears: Before screening this title, read the Educational Screenings Permission (ESP). [See screenshot below]
Open Video Resources
- KhanAcademy"With a library of over 4,000 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice, we're on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace."
- TED Talks"Great talks to stir your curiosity. Browse by subject, length, or rating (inspiring, jaw-dropping, funny…)"
- VimeoVideos, instructional and otherwise.
- YouTube"YouTube allows billions of people to discover, watch and share originally-created videos."
- YouTube EDUEducation-focused videos within YouTube.