Streaming Video for Instruction

Library Streaming Film Subscriptions

The Library subscribes to several sources of academic and popular streaming video licensed for academic use. You can find links to these collections, which contain over 100,000 titles, on our Multimedia Resources guide. You'll also find streaming films from these collections when you search our catalog.

Request a Purchase

The Library can purchase individual films for your instructional needs. Options:

• Check Kanopy. If it's not in our current licensed collection, you can request that that we license it for you. See instructions on requesting a Kanopy title. It typically takes about 24 hours for Kanopy-requested titles to be  purchased and made available for your use.
• Request a purchase of streaming media using our Non-Print Purchase Request form. We'll research prices and licensing options and get back to you. 

Note: we usually do not purchase public performance rights for showing a film to the public or at a college event. See our Public Performance Rights Policy page for more information on public perfomance rights.

Digitize Physical Media

If you can't find your DVD content in a streaming format, COCC's ELearning department can digitize DVDs in specific situations. 

First, make sure you've connected with Library staff about licensed streaming options. Submitting our Non-Print Purchase Request form is a great way to get this process started. 

Next, determine if your proposed use of DVD material falls within the guidelines of the TEACH Act or Fair Use. Responsibility for determining legal use of copyrighted materials rests with the instructor.  

If your use falls under the TEACH Act or Fair Use, fill out the DVD Digitization Agreement Form. This form will submit to the Library and ELearning. Departmental staff will follow up with you as necessary. 

FAQs

If you have additional questions or want to discuss your individual needs, please ask us. We are happy to help!

• Can the Library purchase a Netflix (Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, etc.) video for me to show to my class?
  No. Popular streaming services do not provide institutional subscriptions, so we are unable to procure streaming films thorugh these services.
• Can I use my own Netflix (Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, etc.) account to show a video in my class?

  Probably not.

  When signing up for streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime, you agree to a membership contract that may supersede copyright exceptions under Fair Use or the TEACH Act.

  If you want students in your class to watch a streaming video, it might be best to ask students to set up their own Netflix or Amazon Prime accounts in order to view a film outside of class.

  Netflix also allows for certain documentaries to be shown in the classroom. See: Educational Screenings of Documentaries 

• What are some recommended sources for finding streaming video online (other than the Library's subscriptions)?

  If you plan on requiring your students to pay for their own access to a film (if the Library can't purchase a licensed streaming version), JustWatch and ReelGood help you compare prices for rentals and purchases across streaming platforms.

  The University of Oregon Library maintains a list of options of streaming video vendors.

  Other than Library subscription resources, big sites like YouTube or Vimeo, and general web searches, you may also find streaming films at these sites:

  • PBS LearningMedia
  • TubiTV: free movies and TV shows, but slightly dated and ad-heavy
  • Open Streaming Video Resources: custom Google search for openly-licensed streaming video
  • TED Talks
  • FedFlix: access via the Internet Archive to over 3,000 public domain films made by the US government in the past 70 years

  When selecting online video (paid or free) for your classes, remember to make sure it meets relevant accessibility requirements.

• I used to show a DVD in an in-person class, and I can't find an online version of it for my online class. What do I do?

  First, make sure you've connected with Library staff about licensed streaming options. Submitting our Non-Print Purchase Request form is a great way to get this process started. 

  Next, determine if your proposed use of DVD material falls within the guidelines of the TEACH Act or Fair Use. Responsibility for determining legal use of copyrighted materials rests with the instructor.  

  If your use falls under the TEACH Act or Fair Use, fill out the DVD Digitization Agreement Form. This form will submit to the Library and ELearning. Departmental staff will follow up with you as necessary. 

• What accessibility features should I look for in a streaming video?

  When selecting streaming film for instructional use, consider these accessibility features:

  • The video player has user controls (e.g., pause, stop, start).
  • The video has accurate closed captions that users can choose to display or not. If they are auto-generated, check them.
  • The video has a transcript. If this is auto-generated, check it for accuracy.
  • When necessary, the video has audio description when visual information is not otherwise described in the video. 
    • Adequate audio description is currently the most difficult accessibility element to find. It's also the one least familiar to most users. Audio description helps visually-impaired learners access all of the information conveyed in a video.
    • For example, if you have a video of a chemist demonstrating how to test a material's pH level, but there's no narration in the actual video, the audio description would include explanations like, "The scientist mixes two substances in a beaker and stirs them together. She extracts some of the mixture with a dropper and puts a drop on a pH test strip."
    • Example: an audio-described version of a Stevie Wonder music video