Hello, At my university library we provide streaming films through Kanopy, Films on Demand, and Alexander Street Press. We also have some films that we purchased streaming rights for and host/ stream locally. But, we don't currently support anything else, such as going through a licensing agent like Swank. Instead, if a faculty member tells us that they want their entire online class to watch a major motion picture/ "big studio film" (for example), that we can't provide streaming access to, we recommend that their students use Netflix/ amazon/ itunes or a public library. We send faculty and students to http://www.canistream.it/ and say that the PPV cost is the student's, like buying a textbook.
However, recently I've noticed that canistream.it seems to be increasingly inaccurate, showing no streaming available where it is. I also frequently get push back from instructors who are very angry that they cannot stream say The Wolf of Wall Street in their online class, though they may show it in an in person class. (Sympathizing with them over copyright law only goes so far..). What do the rest of you tell faculty who ask for films you can't provide access to? Is there a better directory than canistreamit for directing people to PPV for popular films? Have you come up with any great language to use with faculty? Do I need to consider working with someone like Swank? (I don't know if I can manage the licensing from a financial or staffing standpoint...) Sorry, this is starting to feel more like a vent than a question, but I'd appreciate any insight you can provide. Jennifer Jennifer DeJonghe Librarian and Professor Metropolitan State University St. Paul, MN
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
